Taters & the Tots: Happy Birthday, Collin Mac!!! (a few days late...)

My baby boy turned 1 year old on April 11. I cannot believe it has been a year since this precious child joined our family. He is so unique in so many ways. He is like his brother and sister, and yet so very different. He has his own look...most of the time. But on occasion, you can catch an exact replica of him in an old picture of a sibling. He has been a "textbook" child from the very beginning. If it says in any book that a child is suppose to do something, he is going to do it right on schedule. My other two struggled a bit eating and sleeping. Byron even had so much trouble eating, he had to return to the hospital after two weeks because he had lost so much weight and in turn was very jaundiced. Not this kid. He weighed 7 lbs 11 oz at birth. Just two short weeks later, he weighed in at an astounding 8 lbs 13 oz! For the most part, he is an excellent sleeper and always has been. After he was born, he was "singing"--that's what the nurse called it. Just a sweet little noise as he exhaled. He grew out of it all too soon, but the very night he turned one, he began to do it again. He was a surprise to our family, although we weren't trying to prevent him from existing. I worried through my entire pregnancy that I was pushing my luck by asking God for a third healthy baby. But that is exactly what God gave me. He laughs so easily. He LOVES to read books. He makes motor noises when he sees anything that might have a motor or wheels. He catches on to noises...any noises. He knows when his dad or I are in a room before he even sees us. He is very much a momma's boy, but is perfectly content to be left in someone else's care if done right (set him down to play and calmly walk out while he is distracted). He instinctively knows how to play with any toy. He crawled far earlier than my others (before 6 months), but was content to get around that way for quite a long time. But when he did decide to walk, that was the prefered method of transportation. He loves to be held most of the time, which I am quite aware that I did to him. He loves to snuggle. He kisses almost anyone. He observes big sister and big brother so intently. He catches on quick! He snorts like my granddad use to. He claps and fake cries (after learning it worked for brother). He needs love. He enjoys playing pat-a-cake. He says alot of words for his age--well, at least we understand some. He is already in awe of tractors. He loves animals of any kind. I could go on and on and there is so much more to him that I can't even think of right now. I love him so intensely it hurts. I hate to be away from him. I feel this way about all of my children. Even though there are some very tough days and the physical and verbal rewards are few and far between, if I could have them at home with me all the time, I would. He has completed our family and I thank God for this beautiful, wonderful, loving, fun, exciting, emotional, needy, independent, happy being every single day. Here are some of the pictures from the past year.

Day one (actually within the first hour I think)