Happy 1st Birthday!!!

So I love these flowers that bloomed this month, because one year ago today these flowers were blooming at home while we sat in the hospital at MUSC waiting, and waiting, and wondering, and waiting with great anticipation for little Brandt's arrival. This year, not only did the flowers bloom early, but we have survived an entire year of the treatment of a severe congenital heart defect and all that involves, as a family. And survived isn't the right word I know...the difficulties of this past year have produced a "blooming" in our hearts--gratitude, appreciation for important things in life, increased confidence in God's character, to name a few. We just started an amazing series at church on the book of James, and the first couple verses discuss viewing difficulties in life as "joy." And that doesn't mean fun...but God does promise that the end results give an endurance we wouldn't otherwise have. And so, our flowers symbolize both the lessons and joy of this difficult year to me.

As does our handsome birthday boy's smile--he is so full of life, and fun, and mischief! May has been a great month for him. He gave us a little scare with the first cold/virus of his life. After getting safely through flu season, he came down with fever, runny nose and nasty sounding cough. But he checked out fine with no secondary infections, and in the meantime has moved from crawling to almost walking with no time wasted! He loves making any kind of mess, and has even started babbling some consonant sounds at us. We were thrilled to see all this progress at once from a developmental standpoint. Everything is "baba" and "dada" right now, and he wants to share these "deep baby thoughts" with anyone and everyone who might be around. Anyone who even walks by when we're out in public is fair game for his piercing stare and the ensuing flirty smile and baby babble. But let me tell you, his brothers are his favorites. Now that he can follow them around the house, he feels they are dutybound to include him in all activities, and wails if they dare to close a door on him to keep him out of trouble! He's a little daredevil with endless energy. Several people have remarked to me that we will really be in for it after his third surgery. Well, bring it on--this kind of mischief we couldn't be happier to see. We also welcome another nephew/cousin to the family this month, Mark Judson Grover, born 5.10.2011, and look forward to the "babies" being able get into mischief together.

So happy happy birthday our sweet heart baby--we treasure every minute!