Happy Birthday Isaac

My first moments hoding Isaac.
Isaac in his "birthday suit" on his 1st birthday.

Isaac Orr-

It is hard to believe that only one year ago I did not know this little man. It is hard to believe that I lived totally content and satisfied for over 27 years without knowing Isaac Orr. Though he is not the source of my joy, or my purpose for living, he has provided such an incredible richness and delight to my life that I NEVER thought was possible. I wasn’t someone who always dreamed of being a mom or having babies. Honestly, it was something that really scared me and I wasn’t quite sure how I would feel when I first saw my little baby, but from the moment the Dr’s placed his tiny little perfect body in my arms my heart just broke open with a love that I didn’t know was possible. Those first few days and weeks were spent mostly in awe of this amazing person. I would literally stare at him for hours and couldn’t believe the sense of connection I could have with such a tiny one.

From the first few weeks that I knew Isaac, I had a very strong sense that there was something special about this boy. Maybe every new mom feels that way, I don’t know. But there was a sense of joy and peace around him. From our first hours with him in the hospital he was so calm and peaceful. As I have watched him grow these past 12 months, I have been continually struck by his unbelievable joy; his smiles and giggles and funny faces and how loves to dance to any kind of music. Wherever we go, people seem to be drawn to him and him to them. He see strangers in public places and won’t stop smiling at them. There is something very special about this boy. I consider it one of the greatest blessings and privileges of my life to be his mom.

Some of my favorite things about Isaac:
How excited he get to eat strawberries, even though he eats them every day.
The ways that he tries to make me laugh by making funny faces and crinkling up his nose.
How when there is a song on in the car that he likes he will clap his hands and slap his thighs.
Watching his pudgy little body move around. I especially love his pudgy little fingers (how his knuckles make dimples) and his pudgy little toes.
That every time he hears a siren or a loud train he will start to pout and sometimes even cry.
How sometimes when I haven’t seen him for awhile (usually a few hours) and I come home and pick him up that he will give me tons and tons of kisses (big open mouth slobbery baby kisses).
Whenever I peek around a corner and catch his attention he will always start laughing.
That of all the books I read to him there are only two that he likes or will pay attention to (Goodnight Moon and Noisy Farm Animals).
He is his own little person with lots of expressions and opinions and desires that is blossoming more and more every day.

This could go on and on for a long time, but I will stop there. I would like to say Happy Birthday Isaac. You are more of a joy to me and your dad than you will ever know. You deserve to be celebrated today for being alive and for being exactly who God made you to be. We love you more than words can possibly come close to expressing. You are truly a gift to us. The best kind of gift. It is a gift to us to be your parents!!!