Mama Jo: First Year

One year ago, 09/09/09 at 9:16 pm Brayden entered our world. He looked completely different than I had imagined he would look. He actually looked like the baby I thought Connor would look like when he was born and I had imagined Bray to look like the newborn Connor.

Immediately he took on the physical features of his father, the blonde hair, the blue eyes. But over the course of his first year I now believe he looks like his Daddy but acts like his Mommy. Bray is a sweet but stubborn baby. He knows what he wants and he's not hesitant to let you know! It's been that way from the beginning. He's a quiet one, however you can see in his eyes that he is taking things in, making little notes in his head. Because of his quiet demeanor he oftentimes surprises me with his knowledge and abilities. Never underestimate Bray.

Recently, I've learned that he has inherited my need/want for organization. It's little things like putting his bottle into his cupholder while in the car, putting things in their assigned places, eating food one piece at a time, etc. He and I are going to get along wonderfully when he gets older. Speaking of eating, it's his favorite pastime, you wouldn't know it by his slender appearance (again, never underestimate Bray). He often eyes our food and will grunt until you give him a bite. He also has yet to turn something away, he enjoys it all (yet another thing we have in common). When given a mix of peas and carrots, he eats the peas first, one by one. And when he's enjoying a food he makes a "yum, mmmm" noise the entire time he chomps away.

Brayden adores his brother. I, obviously, didn't have siblings so I was afraid of sibling rivalry and I wanted nothing but a loving relationship for my boys. My hope for them is that they will be best friends and take care of one another when they are older.

I wanted a second child because I knew what it was like to be the only child. I always wanted a sibling while I was growing up. Brayden was planned for, however after I found out I was pregnant, immense guilt set in. I was afraid I wouldn't know how to love 2 children, especially the same. I learned after his birth that that love is not the same but is there just as much. I love my boys differently, because they are different children but I love them equally. It's amazing how your heart can continue to fill with love; when you think you can't quite possibly love more than you already do, it grows to make room for even more.

This first year has been filled with it's ups and downs, just as any other year, but it's been filled with the blessing of my second child. I look forward to his future years, although I'm not quite ready for my baby to grow up. It's inevitable, I know, but I am going to continue to savor each moment. :)