The Adventures of Big D: Dylan Robert Russell's Very First Birthday

Guess what?? I am officially ONE YEAR OLD!! This year flew by so fast!

Before I share some of my birthday pictures with you, Mommy asked me if she could share a few thoughts with everybody about this past year.

Hello from Dylan's Mommy!

This has been such an amazing 12 months. It's so hard to express how much joy I get from being a Mommy. Those of you who have known me for a long time probably NEVER thought it would happen!!! Heck, I never thought it would happen! Look at me now---Lovin' every single minute!

Over this past year I have been blessed to be a part of so many wonderful moments. Here are a few I thought I'd share---in no particular order:

* Dylan's very first breath and very first cry

* My first time holding a tiny little life that I helped to create

* Putting his tiny little body into his huge car seat and taking him home for the very first time

* Dylan's very first smile

* My little man's first giggle

* Watching Dylan being able to hold his head up on his own

* Remembering how wonderful that very first time he SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT was

* Loving how cool it was when he started to really show signs of knowing who me and Mark were

* Giving him his very first bath and wondering when that belly button thingie was going to fall off

* Watching his Grandparents fall in love with him and love him more than I ever thought possible

* Watching Dylan pick up his very first toy truck and hearing him say "VROOM VROOM"

(That one NEVER gets old!)

* Watching him sit up for the first time...and then fall over for the first time....and then finally gaining enough strength to NOT fall over anymore!

* Watching him learn to crawl

* Marveling about all the simple things with him---like lights, ceiling fans, toothbrushes and doorbells

* Watching him stand up all on his own

* Giving him his very first bath in the big bathtub

* Watching him gaze at his kitty cats with wonder and amazement...and then chasing them around until they've had enough

* Remembering the very first time I heard him say "Mama"....that was AWESOME! (Of course he said "Da Da" first, so I had to wait this one out!)

* Giving him his first taste of solid food

* Giving him his first taste of medicine after he was diagnosed with his first nasty cold

* Rushing him to the ER after he got his very first "Big Boy Boo Boo"

* Watching him take his very first clumsy steps

* Putting him in his snow suit and taking him for a ride on his sled during his first snow storm

* Watching him sit on the Easter Bunny's lap for the first time--he was sooooo darn tiny!

* Taking him for his very first hayride in the big truck during Barrington Day

* Taking my little Monkey to his very first Halloween Parade

* Watching him sit on Santa's lap for the first time and praying he wouldn't cry

* Putting him on a swing at the playground for the first time and watching the intent look on his face as he took it all in

* Looking at pictures of my Mom as a baby and thinking to myself, "Wow! Dylan looks just like her! I can't believe I waited 36 years to give birth to my Mother!" : )

* Watching him go for rides with his PopPop in the golf cart and watching his crazy blonde hair blowing in the wind

* Staring into his beautiful crystal blue eyes and hoping that they would always stay that blue

*Taking him to the beach for his very first vacation and holding his hand when he put his toes in the ocean for the first time

* Taking him to his very first Phillies game -- the weather was really bad, but my precious boy was REALLY good!

* Taking him to school for the very first time so he could meet all of my students and co-workers

* Putting on his little red, white, and blue bathing suit and taking him into our pool for the very first time

* Watching him snuggled up and sleeping so peacefully during his daily nap with PopPop

* Eating his very first cupcake on his very first birthday

* Watching him sit in a highchair at a restaurant with food all over him and the floor and thinking, "Hmmm....remember when he used to just sleep in the carseat right through dinner and never make a peep?"

* Reaching down to pick him up because he's stretching his little arms up to me

* Seeing that bright, shiny very first tooth come through---and feeling very sleep-deprived as a result!

* Watching his little mesmorized face when there is any sign of Elmo--be it a stuffed animal, clothing, a TV show, etc

* Taking him to his first car show in Philadelphia. It was our first "big outing" as a family. He slept in his stroller just about the whole day.

* Crying hysterically the day I started back to work because I just hated leaving him

* Picking him up after work and watching that big smile form the second he sees me!

* Sitting with him and reading books---letting him turn every page in his own time and pointing out all of his favorite pictures

* Having the opportunity to sing "I'll Love You Forever" to him just about every night before he falls asleep in my arms

When I married Mark, I knew I was the luckiest. Adding my precious son to our family just confirmed that fact.

Happy Birthday, Dylan Robert Russell.

I Love You---FOREVER! : )

Wow, Mommy! That was pretty mushy!! We better get on with the pictures!

As soon as Mommy and Daddy handed me my cupcake, I started the mess-making process! Before they were done singing "Happy Birthday", I already had most of the icing off. My kittycat, Chic didn't seem to mind.

Hey, Chic---who's birthday is it exactly? he he he