Two Special Birthdays

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DALTON AND DADDY!
My two very special boys

My Precious Baby Dalton,
WOW! You turned one year old today on Daddy's birthday. How special it is to share the same birthday with your favorite hero! Here you are one year ago-born at 7: 17 p.m. on Dec. 3rd. What a proud daddy! The moment you where laid in front of me for the first time was one of the most amazing moments of my life. I will never forget the awe that struck me as I saw you my precious tiny baby- how perfect- how beautiful. The moment so long awaited was now here. Holding you close in my arms and feeling you against me was a dream come true. It is incredible that the Lord has given us such a perfect gift - that gift is you, my Dalton.

Here you are 1 year later.
I Am 1 Year Old!

I am amazed it has been a year already, although it is hard to remember what life was like before you. You are such a special boy, Dalton! Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you! Being your Mommy is the one of the greatest privileges I have ever been given. You bring us so much joy, my precious boy. This last year has been one of the most memorable years of my life having you as our beautiful little son. You are my dream come true and answer to prayer. I am so blessed by your sweet spirit. You truly display the names God has given you of PEACE and JOY. You are a beautiful gift from God to your Mommy and Daddy!

Your Daddy is a very special man! It is awesome to see you respond with great excitement when you see Daddy - how you can't wait to be scooped up into his big loving secure arms whenever he comes home. When he steps in the door anything you are doing stops and all you want is Daddy. Daddy time is very special to you and me. Even when it is past your bed time you always want to have that special time with him in the evening. Sometimes you get to see Daddy in the morning too and how wonderful it is to see you get very excited when you realize he is still home.

It was a great treat for you to get to see Daddy before he left for work on the morning of your 1st birthday. You were both still tired but it was great to watch you cuddle with Daddy as he told you what a special day it was. When Daddy came home from work it was special to spend time at home together although you were both still tired. How fun to watch you explore and taste your 1st birthday cake. You seemed to enjoy the sweet frosting but weren't sure what to think of it getting all over you fingers. It was precious to see you try and feed Daddy some frosting. Good sharing Dalton!

Two days after your birthday Mommy held a family birthday party for you and Daddy. It was fun to celebrate with family and I was very blessed by all the help. Thanks to all those who came to the party and all the wonderful gifts. Special thanks to Grandma Engelbrecht for decorating the cakes and Grandma Earp and Aunt Christina for all their help in the food preperation/cleanup. Here are those who came to celebrate with us: Paupa and Grandma Earp, Grandpa and Grandma Engelbrecht, Aunt Christina and Uncle Nate, Aunt Erin, Chloe, Calin, Cole, and Collin. The party was alot of fun! Dalton was thrilled when we all sang he and Daddy Happy Birthday and enjoyed playing with his cousins.


Here are some of the new and/or favorite things you have been doing this month:

~You have started going all over the house in your walker now. You started this three days before Thanksgiving. It is very exciting to see you able to move around more and take yourself places. Only a week before were you able to go backwards and then forwards, but now you are even turning corners. You have found you can access your books in the cabinet quite readily now. Once you get the cabinet open, you love to pull out each book sometimes only briefly before moving on to the next book. Eventually they all end up on the floor surrounding your walker. It is quite a funny sight.

~You love to say Bye when we are getting ready to go(ie.putting your coat on or placing you in your car seat), seeing someone else getting ready to leave, or ending Mommy's phone conversations. I love your cute little words and hearing you communicate them with us and others.

~You said something very close to grandma 2 times when you were calling her attention to come over to you one day when she was over. I am amazed by you, Dalton.

~You took your 1st Bulldozer ride with Daddy at the beginning of November. What fun you had eating lunch on his lap and then successfully trying your 1st cracker which you wanted when you saw Daddy eating one. Much to mommy's delight you rode in the dozer very contentedly on Daddy's lap. I was concerned you might be scared by the loud equitment but it didn't seem to phase you. I loved watching you ride on your big man's lap as you observed Daddy on the job.

~You started taking steps holding onto our hands and now will many times just take off as long as our hands are in yours. You know the names of each room of the house. I can tell this because whenever I ask you to take me to any certain room you will walk right to it. You are so smart, Dalton! It is adorable to watch you kick those little feet out in front of you at the beginning of each step.

~ You enjoy tossing toys and than trying to scoot to retrieve them. It is a riot to watch you enjoy this as a little game because as soon as you have the toy in your hands many times you will toss it again only to attempt and get it again.

~Once again, looking at books is still your most favorite activity. When you walk into the living room many times you head strait for the book cabinet. When you are close enough, you will work at opening the door and start pulling out books. You began turning the pages looking through each one sometimes throughly and at other times only a moment. By the end of your book time many books will be scattered around you on the floor and the cabinet will be nearly empty. It is so fun to watch you looking at books!

~ Finger foods have become a hit this month. You have tried carrots, green beans, regular crackers, graham crackers, apples, bananas, and spaghatti squash all in solid form. Carrots seem to be your favorite. Although you have become very interested in taking small bites off, most of the chunks end up right below your chin on your bib. This is just fine. Mommy is pleased that you are willingly trying these finger foods even if not alot is actually being swallowed. The fact that you are chewing, taking bites, and not gaging on the chunks is a great step.Three days before Thanksgiving, you enjoyed munching on some cooked carrots in whole form. You really enjoyed this new experience for the first time. I was excited because not only did you have fun trying to bite the carrots, but you didn't gage like you have been when we give you something of a different consistency than your blended food.

Two days before Thanksgiving, Paupa was visiting us and I was talking to Dalton about him being with us. To my amazement Dalton said "Paupa". I asked him to say it two more times and he did! I asked Paupa if he had heard Dalton say his name and he said with a huge grin on his face "That's what he said without a doubt."

~ We found Dalton's 7th tooth already coming in. I didn't even see it until it was in a ways. It doesn't seem like very long ago and I was checking for teeth. This tooth seemed to appear all of the sudden.

~ You love to play with spoons and started saying "poon" while playing with one. We have a great time saying it back and forth to each other many times. Good job my boy!

~ One of your favorite things is to open and close doors, any doors you can get close to. The cabinet doors in the kitchen and bathroom are a favorite. We definitely need to get latches on them.

~At your 12 month Dr. appointment, you weighed 19lbs. 1oz. and measured 30in. long. You are in the 10th percentile for weight, 50th percentile for length, and 50th percentile for head measurement. Dr. Schreck said "Good job" and was quite pleased with your growth and developement. Praise the Lord for a strong healthy boy!