titus is one!

titus franklin.. friendly frank.. baby ty.. my last little baby... how in the world are you one?!?!

 I cannot even believe how fast this year has flown! I am so glad that God decided to bless me and daddy with your sweet little life! what a precious boy you are!!!

you have the bluest eyes (you got them from your poppa and nonny!), a set of sweet dimples like your big brother Josiah, some crazy curly blonde hair like big sister miley, which you LOVE to twirl like your big sister Adalyn, a sweet little nose like big sister ella kate, and a love for creepy crawly critters like big brother Levi.

ok.. maybe that last one is a stretch. you may grow up and realize that you detest those nasty things, but right now you love to squeeze them, pinch them and let them crawl over you. eek!

you are rough and tough.. strong and loud. you know what you want and you wont back down. you LOVE sucking both of your thumbs, twirling your hair or YANKING the hair of whoever is holding you.

 you could (and do!) eat veggie straws, hot dogs and strawberries every single day. you are crazy about mimi and have a sweet spot for yaya.. you love to wave bye-bye , say momma and no-no and you LOVE to play BOO! Josiah knows how to make you SO happy, and levi gets the best laughs out of you. your sisters are crazy about you and are always kissing you, singing to you, dressing you up with hair bows and calling you Heidi :)

you love to dance and do hand motions to the kids' songs in the car... and speaking of car, you hate, hate, hate car washes!! you just had your first experience with nana nan's pool and you loved it! splashing and giggling.. so much fun! you are a busy boy and you want to be down and in the action at all times.. although there are a few teeny tiny moments when you want to cuddle momma!

I am so thankful for your life and for your healthy and perfect first year! I know that God has big plans for you, and I am so excited to see them unfold! being your momma (and your brothers' and sisters') is one of the greatest joys this world has to offer. happy birthday my sunshine! we love you more than you will ever know!

 

these kids...

my husband has crazy strong genes.

 I feel like his genes are more dominant in my kids, than mine are.. and that is totally fine!

they look so much like him, they have his humor, his quick wit, his generous heart, his gift of flatulence and some may even have his sweet temperament ;) however.. this weekend, I saw a tiny glimpse of myself in them.

ella kate and Josiah were both in our children's choir musical (which was AMAZING by the way!). ek had a solo and jos was Fireball, one of the main characters. they both did a fabulous job and we could not have been more proud of them. after the program, we were loaded up in the car and pulled out of the parking lot when I notice that Josiah was crying and ella kate had the saddest look on her face. I asked them what was wrong, and they both started crying and became a blubbering mess. they were telling me how sad they were that the program was over and how it was just terrible that they would never do it again. :) how precious. that is totally me!! I am so emotional, so sentimental, so "cry about everything"..  it made me smile that I could see myself, but then I wanted to hug them and cry with them because I know exactly how they feel!!

so.. back to the kids being like bill. after church on wednesday, we all got home and unloaded when I realized that we left the baby's bottle in the van. I asked ek to run to the car and get it and after a few minutes, she ran back inside and said that she couldn't find it. bill laughs and says, "well, I'M going outside to van to get the bottle, because I know how you look!" (the kids usually cant see what is in front of them.. its ridiculous!) and as he is walking by, he accidentally drops the keys on the tile floor. so without skipping a beat, ella kate says to bill as she grabs the keys for him, "well, I'M gonna bend over and get these keys for you, because I know how you bend!" it was hilarious... quick wit, I tell ya! just like her daddy :)