Favorite First Year Memories: Knox

-Our last "meal" of Honey Bunches at 3:30am the day you were born. I wasn't allowed to eat anything much later than that but knew you and I would be SO hungry if I didn't get up and eat when I could! It was dark in the kitchen, and everyone else was asleep. It was the beginning of the end of my pregnancy with you, and it was very special to me to have that "meal" with you.

-Watching you emerge into the world! You seemed to "carry" your umbilical cord like a purse over your shoulder. You immediately nuzzled and rooted when on me skin-to-skin. You kept trying to turn your head and the nurse wouldn't let you eat yet because she had to see your face and watch your coloring. You were one hungry and strong boy who could lift his head to pivot it around in search of food.

-Singing lullabies to you in the hospital room; you seemed to know the songs I was singing and drifted off when it was just me and you in the room, cuddled up together in bed. My favorite one was "Never Gonna Let You Down" which has always been "our" song.

-Introducing you to your big brothers

-Leaving the hospital and bringing your home to Darion; the big boys gave you a tour of your new house while I held back tears of joy and hormones!

-The "smile" you gave me with your eyes at 5 days old.

-Our first shower together.

-Although I was in a dark place during those early weeks and I hated midnight feedings, I set a playlist to play during those cold, exhausting, dim nights that helped me through it all. I would rock you back to sleep to the beat of the music before putting you back in the nest that you slept in in our bed between my head and Daddy's.

-Our first bath together (7/23/16, at 5 months old) when Banner and Quinn were spending the night out so Daddy and I could pack up our house. We were able to also spend some quality time with you, and this bath will forever be etched in my mind as I cradled you, looking into your bright, blue eyes, watching you float while I held you up. You were so relaxed with your body just swaying in my arms in the water. Daddy and I couldn't stop looking at you and I never wanted to get out of the tub!

-Your very first Halloween! You were my little GIRL! And later that night, you were R2D2. ;)

-The night we all watched The Wizard of Oz as a family. You were sitting on the floor in the top part of your highchair, and your big brothers were right behind you, and all of you were eating pizza. It was such a fun family night.

-Trying peanut butter. After a test patch on your upper arm showed you most likely didn't have an allergy, I let you lick some peanut butter off my pinky. You couldn't get enough!

-10 months old, standing near the kitchen while Daddy held you, you laid "keppe" on Daddy's shoulder with a big grin on your face as if you got what you wanted by him holding you. Such a sweet snuggle.

-Watching you dance with the big boys when they play Just Dance.

-Playing at Safari Run with you when we climbed through the play area together. I had the BEST time with you and your brothers while you crawled, Banner swung, and Quinn slithered through the tunnels together.

-Wearing you in the Maya Wrap. Love that thing and when my babies were small enough to fit in it!

-Rocking you in the hospital when you had RSV. I sang "Baby Mine" and cried that you had to go through all the discomfort of the illness, the wires, the needles, the breathing treatments, the poking and prodding.

-When you gave Banner your open-mouth "kisses" tonight - the night before your first birthday - and you couldn't get enough of loving on him! Then, when I dropped your paci and it went under the crib, I set you down for a second, and you took off toward my bedroom where Daddy was reading to Banner and Quinn, and you seemed to be on a mission to go as fast and as far as you could before I captured you to return to your bedroom to finish your bottle. You walked in your sleep sack, and man, are you fast in that thing! You giggled and tried to get away. Your brothers were quite entertained!