Joseph Turns One

Today is sweet baby Joe's first birthday. I keep wondering to myself where that whole year went! I still remember the sweet moment when we welcomed him into our little family. He came out with chunky little cheeks and a furrow in his brow. He is by far the most serious Stannix baby to date. His little looks would always make us laugh, full of such concern and soberness. We named him after both his Great-Grandpa's, Joseph Stannix and Allen Hudkins. Both very strong names and quite fitting for such a serious little boy. The first night in the hospital is one I will never forget because he cried the whole time. I cherished the quiet moments where I could just snuggle him and watch his sweet little face while he slept. 

The first couple of months proved difficult. He was constantly hungry and hard to console, but we still adored him! His older siblings couldn't get enough of kissing his soft little cheeks and holding him with help from Mom and Dad. We all looked forward to celebrating Christmas with a new baby around. There is something about having a newborn at Christmas time that turned my thoughts toward Mary and baby Jesus and really helped bring the Christmas Spirit into the home. 

As Joseph grew he became easier to deal with at nights. Because he didn't learn to sleep through the night until he was ten months old, those became our special times together. It seems that things became easier for me when I decided to change my attitude about the circumstance. With two other siblings competing for Mom time, it's sometimes tricky to give the one on one that I'd like. I cherished our night time feedings and having him sleep on my chest to squeeze in a few extra winks of sleep.

Over this last year I have watched his little smiles go from toothless to full of little baby teeth. He has become an absolute joy to mother and I adore squeezing his rolls and smooching his cheeks. His personality is different than each of his older siblings and I love his unique way of discovering and doing things. His newest favorite thing to do is to walk while carrying something heavy like a pillow or bucket of blocks. He loves a challenge and exploring his surroundings. It has been such a privilege to be his mamma and watch him grow into the cutesy little boy that he has become.

Happy first birthday Mr. Joe!

Love,

-Mom