twelve months old. and such a good boy. he is kind and loving and silly and yes, clingy at the moment. but i love to see his little personality developing with each passing day. he's growing tall, his curls more defined. he even found a little gal pal at church with whom he tried to share his pacifier with (which is something i thought he'd never freely offer to anyone else. ever.) such a good sharer.

here's another example: last week at church, we snuck into nursery during sunday school. i was uber tired of walking the halls chasing after a speed-crawler baby, and heck, we only have about 3 kids in nursery-- and jake will be the only one to enter nursery next year-- so i figured Sis. Hart wouldn't mind. (and it doesn't hurt that i know she brings homemade rolls as a snack each week :) so we played with toys and books and puzzles and then jake spied a pretty cool toy in the hands of a much bigger and older kid. he crawled over there at lightning speed and started pounding on the toy--cuz that's how you play with toys as a twelve month old--you whack it and laugh.

so this kid, totally freaked out and annoyed and not willing to share, pushed jake away and said, "NO BABY!" jake's face was priceless. he's used to a world where he's the only little one around and he can do what he likes to any toy, whenever, however, whatever. but he didn't shed a tear, no cry, no peep, no nothing. so i let that one slide for the nursery bully. i pulled jake toward another toy and tried to distract him. it didn't work. my little boy went right back over there like he owned the place and started pounding on the toy in the nursery bully's hands. he just laughed while doing it as if saying to the bully, "wow this is fun! see! do it with me!" again, "NO BABY!!" and a shove to the ground. and that was it for us for nursery. i was pretty perturbed--but merely in a protective-mommy way. (i mean this bully was what 2? 3?) so we graciously accepted a roll and left. for now, jake peruses the cultural hall. nursery will have to wait until he can defend himself and defeat the bully :)

but he is the best. seriously a great sharer and it melts my heart. he's the greatest kid on the planet. and as a mom you want everyone to see and know how incredible your little one is. but only a mom sees all the little things they do throughout the day. all the ways that they can be so sweet and funny and handsome and special. and even though his current sleeping habits have me completely sleep-deprived and all but banished from my own comfy bed, i love him to pieces for all those things. he impresses me daily. he's such a big boy now. still little, but a baby no more. sad day for mommy. but that pity party only lasts for a moment, because i can't wait to see what he'll do tomorrow, in five years, in ten years, in 25 years.... let's hope i live to see the next 70 years. and i pray i get to see him defeat the nursery bully too. with kindness, of course.

xoxoxo

love you big boy.