Marshall....our 1 year old!

Dear little Marshall,
Wow how a year flies by!  I cannot believe that it has been a year since you entered this world.  And wow...how much has changed in a year!!!  When we welcomed you into the world...you were a hefty nine pounds...and we loved every single ounce of you.  I remember holding you for the first time....and I did not want to put you down.  You were just such a sweet, precious gift and I wanted to hold you and embrace you...because I knew that time was going to go too fast from infant to baby to one year old!  Now I cannot say that everything was smooth sailing for us with you in the beginning.....you had colic like I had never dreamed of.  I remember nights just sitting on the floor crying as you cried...I was sad to see you upset, I was sad I did not know what to do...and well, I was sad because sometimes it lasted for 8-10 hours at a time.  But every tear shed, was TOTALLY worth it.  At about 3-4 months you grew out of it....and things have looked up ever since then.  You are the HAPPIEST, SMILIEST little guy around...and I am not kidding!  You hardly ever cry, unless you are hungry, need a diaper change or someone (aka your brother) has taken something from you.  You are so curious---you love watching Brayden and then try to mimic all he does---which is why at one you can basically run...you had walking down pat by 11 months---over achiever!  You love playing in the kitchen drawers taking all the plastic dishes out and we cannot close the dishwasher fast enough!  You LOVE the train table...I would say that it probably your favorite toy around here.  You also love anything with wheels...such a boy.  It is amazing, I think car noises was one of your first noises...and you have since perfected it!  You LOVE to eat....and will eat ANYTHING!  So dinner with you is a TREAT!  You love your little blankies....and still like bottles....which with Brayden at one, I said no more bottles, no more pacifier....but you are my baby...so I will let you keep them just a little longer---probably more for my comfort than yours :)  You have such a LOVE for animals and people...watching you with Kim's dogs or the bunnies at the park...or really any animals, I feel like you have a special way with them.  You are gentle and loving...and I will be curious to see if a future with animals will be in store.  With people, you have no fear...you love to smile and show off to gain attention (but hey, I don't blame you!).  You can crawl up all the steps, climb up things at the park, go down the slide and can put shapes into the shape sorter.  Its amazing really!  Your laugh and giggle is contagious---and your big blue eyes...well those are going to always get the best of me!  You have a cute little curl in your hair which is just adorable--so I do not think a haircut is in your close future.  It is so amazing having you in our lives...you are just precious.   Tonight as I was holding you, rocking you...and of course crying because I just cannot believe that you are one....I thanked God so much for giving us you.You have brought us so much joy in just this first year....and I know that its just the beginning. I am sad that you are losing those baby qualities, but I am excited to watch you grow and see all that you will do and become.  I love you Marshall, my little baby!  Love, Mommy