One year ago...

For the last week, I have been dreading Sunday. Dreading it because I knew it was going to rehash all sorts of memories from Callum's birth and days after. They are still so fresh, just mildly under the surface, it doesn't take much to bring them out in full force. But, all I have to do is look at our amazing little boy and I am instantly reminded that those days are just bad memories, a big bump in the road, and that we have been blessed thus far with a healthy, normally developing little Callum. And for that, I am so very thankful.

The last few days have been filled with comments such as "at this time last year, we were at the hospital" or "at this time last year, things were really, really bad" - you can read about that bad night here. But, the last few days have been spent celebrating not just the birthday of our Callum John, but more about the last year - his life. The specialness of him. The strength of him. The health of him.

And when I saw weeks ago that his special day would fall amazingly on Easter Sunday, I knew it was a sign of just how special Callum is to our family. It was like he was deserving of the celebration that he never really had. The true celebration of his birth on his birth was just....well, not really a celebration. There weren't many phone calls saying he was here and how healthy and awesome and amazing he was, but phone calls saying he was sick, in the nursery and how sick he was.....and that I really didn't want to talk to anyone because I was just in denial with how sick our baby was. I didn't want to believe that it was really happening to us - because, you know, it wasn't supposed to be happening to us. 

His homemade birthday cake. I love pinterest! 

I ordered his birthday outfit from a wonderful lady on Etsy. And thanks to pinterest
I made his birthday hat after not finding an appropriate one for him! 

I almost felt like this year was a redo, yeah, it sounds cheesy, but I wanted to give him the celebration he never really had, not like the girls anyway. I wanted to hold him and not let him go. Let him snuggle with me all night in bed, just like the girls did on the night of their birth, except he would do it on the one year anniversary of his birth. After all, they are only little once, and I truly want to try to savior every last moments with our baby.

His birthday was filled with so much excitement. His big sister Lilah came running into the room saying "It's Callum's birthday!" - instead of saying "It's Easter" - she thought of her brother. His sisters were so excited that he was having a birthday on Easter. We were able to celebrate his special day with Kevin's parents, and our special friends here in Virginia. Everyone knows the story of Callum, and everyone could share in the specialness of the celebration. With each step that Callum takes, is a step of growth proving that he is strong. He isn't afraid to voice his opinion when he likes or dislikes something. He easily shakes his head no and joyfully shakes his whole body yes when he wants something now. He is beginning to want everything his big sisters have. He has three mothers, still...some things have not changed. They all pick him up, carry him around the house, and I really think he likes it - hence him not really walking 100% yet...why bother?

He loves food. And he loves to nurse. He grabs at my OO all day long...ripping at them when he is demanding to nurse. His sleep at night is not great, but, he's little still, and I think once he starts walking, it will improve. He now has two cute little front teeth. And he loves to swim with his daddy. He loves showering with mommy and taking baths with his sisters. He is still an easygoing little boy who brings so much light and love to our family. He has so many people who love him, and he knows it.

I made a red velvet cake. Not the best type of cake for a first birthday
but it was fun nonetheless! 

I am pretty sure he liked it! 

Kevin's parents enjoying Callum!

Words cannot express how lucky we are to have him. He is a special little boy and I wonder what the next year will bring for Callum. I won't lie and say that I am not worried any more about his development. The next year we will be looking for fine motor development, speech and other big milestones...but, if he continues on the path he is on now, he will continue to progress perfectly.


We had such an amazing day with our family celebrating! It was a great day!

Happy Birthday, Callum John! We love you Cal Boy!