Happy Birthday Brother!

My boy,

Oh how I love you!

Braden, you are my everything. I love being your mama! You challenge me every single day, buddy, and I am so thankful that God knew I was up for a good challenge. You have completed parts of my life I never knew were lacking. In you I see so much of myself. You are loud, full of energy, determined, persistent, outspoken, and irritable. You love to dance and shake your body just like I do and I love watching you get excited when you hear the beat of music fill our house! Since the day you were born you have loved to eat and smile and cry. You are the perfect mixture of every single emotion and I am so grateful for you in our lives!

Yes, friends...my baby is turning 2 today. I cannot believe it. It seems like yesterday when his perfect little body was tightly swaddled in his daddy's arms...

There have been many days since having this boy that I didnt know how I was going to make it. I didnt know how I'd get through one more day of his screaming. I couldnt comprehend how many more times he could cry. I just didnt understand why he couldnt be content. After all, we loved him so much. We showed so much patience and grace during the first few months of his life. We learned so much in that time that was extremely trying. I've said it many times before, but this boy came into my life like thunder and has been storming ever since...
Since last year, so much has changed. For one thing, he looks so much older...this was last year on his birthday morning...

and this was last year's cake picture...

...and now he's talking! He says everything you can imagine and more. He STILL loves food and eating more than anything else in the world. In fact, my mom has been asking him for weeks what he wants for his birthday and all he can tell her is "cake!" We would be shocked to hear him say anything else, honestly.

He still cries quite a bit. Most people that see him would think he is so good; busy, but good. Quiet even. But he isnt. He is still a challenge. We find him crying and whining for no reason at all. Just to hear himself, we presume. After all, he IS called to preach the word of God someday so in some ways I have learned to just accept his need for being vocal. It is in his blood. And someday, he will be a great speaker of the truth!

Today we are celebrating everything Braden.

--Brother, bubby, fancy pants, buckwheat, lover boy.--

We are going to have cake, play choo-choo train and enjoy that silly little giggle that he constantly gives. He's a good boy. A great child of God; one day a great man of God.

I pray every day that I am donig everything in my power as a mother teach him how to be a man after God's own heart. A boy that obeys, respects and loves everyone who he encounters.

To this day, I am proud to say he mostly does all of those things.

He may only be 2, but his spirit and the life about him is much greater. This boy of mine. On days when I thought he'd be the death of me, he has actually sprung forth such awesome life in this home! Without him my world would be quiet, lonely and laughter free. With him, I feel like a mother who can absolutely endure anything! I look forward to all of the wonderful years that ahead of celebrating the day he was born. It was an awesome day and continues to bring me so much joy!

Mommy & Daddy love you so much buddy! You are a great boy and we are so proud of you. You're growing too quickly and it really does make mommy want to cry. But I will sustain my emotions because with growing comes so many new memories that we get to make with you and for that I am so very thankful! I love you. I love you. I love you.

And I will always eat your piggies;)

God bless you, buddy. Hope we make this a great birthday for you!