A Year Ago Yesterday...

Hayden came home for the first time!  

While this weekend has been a celebration of my birthday, I've been thinking more about this time last year and what a different place we are in.

Hayden, when we brought you home, you were still so teeny tiny.  The first sixty-six days of your life were spent in a hospital, fighting off infection, heart murmur, weak lungs and a whole lot more.  From the very beginning, you were such a fighter.  You still are!  When I see your spunk and the attitude you give when you don't get your way or when Maurah is taking a toy from you, I am thankful because that is exactly what got you through those rough days.  You seemed so frail, yet so strong.  And look at you now!  There are so many things I love about you and how I've gotten to know you in just this last year.

• I love how you lay at our feet like a little puppy dog when you want to pick us up.
• I love how dainty you are when you eat, taking each bite one-by-one - definitely not the way a typical one year-old eats!
• I love the dimples in your elbows and knees and the one little dimple that appears in your cheek when you're really happy.
• I love your high-pitched squeal of delight.
• I love how you sneak over to the T.V. to push buttons and then leave us with a mischievous giggle as you crawl away.
• I love how you snuggle with your elephant to go to sleep.
• I love how you wave bye-bye.
• I love how you say Da-da and then say Mama by tapping your hand to your lips and blabbering.
• I love how you love to wrestle.
• I love how you're our "little mama" who snuggles baby dolls and worries when real babies are crying.
• I love how you like to show how strong you are by putting all of your toys over and behind your head.
• I love how your hair wings out only on the left side - much like my own, I'm afraid!
• I love your big brown eyes and how you scope out strangers with them.
• I love your serious face.
• I love how you splash in the bath and spray everyone with water.

Look at how far you've come!  I just love my Bady-Boo!!!