Happy Birthday Bastien!

Bastien, today you turned one year old. Which is just crazy because wasn’t it only yesterday that I went into labor with you (short labor though it was)? I really cannot believe I’ve known you for a whole year already. On the other hand, I can’t even remember life without you.
I have been lucky enough to witness all of your “firsts” this year: smiling, laughing, rolling, teething, eating, crawling, climbing, talking, silly-face-making and even today, bubble blowing. Every single one of them has been mind-blowing amazing. When you arrived I had no idea what I was in for. Just how much one little man could make me laugh or feel such pride. In fact, I can say for certain that I discovered what pride meant the first time I held you.
You make being a mom easy. Sure, you’re active, curious and sometimes even downright naughty. But mostly you just spend every day trying to make me giggle. Plus, you sleep like a teenager. Thank you for that.
Some of my favorite things about you have been all of the noisy noises you make, the way you “read” books (usually upside down with much page turning), how you handle your pacifier like a pro and the way your hugs are more like head butts.
We’ve had great adventures together, running, biking, hiking, swimming, taco-nighting, yoga-ing, festival-ing, partying, drive-in-movie watching, shopping, dining, hockey-watching, swinging, librarying, zoo visiting, and just day-to-daying. It is truly thrilling to me to be someone who gets to show you what life is all about.
I want to thank you for inspiring a new level of creativity in me. And I want you to always remember, you were the first very best thing I created. Sometimes I’m sad that you’re not my tiny baby anymore. But mostly I’m just excited. Because every day becomes a little more awesome with you: My Little Bubba. Your mamamama loves you with her whole, entire, endurance running heart. Happy birthday, mmmmmmwah!