Our QT

 

A year ago, this is where I was.  Giving birth on the side of the road across from the Quick Trip.  

I mighta looked something like this :)

 

There are lots of things I've learned as a parent and through my birth experiences.  But, there is one thing that Silas' labor really drove home for me, which is:

Life (and labor) can not be controlled.

Yes, we can plan and prepare, instruct and discipline, but ultimately, you can only control so much.  It's really up to the Lord... and trying to stand in His shoes can make a parent go crazy (what with all the pressure moms feel these days to schedule nursing, child's naps, when he should poop, when he should cry, when he should be happy, and why doesn't the kid know how to read the schedule?!?).  With each kid I've gotten a little better at stressing less, and I'm learning to go with the flow and be a confident mom.  Running late to little Johnny's soccer practice when he spills a glass of milk down his shirt, and another kid just pooped in his pants? Gotta roll with it.  And laugh.  

 

This little guy makes me laugh quite a lot... and run around a lot too.  He is a go-getter; a non-stop action kid.  A body-slam his big brother and sister kid.  A pull his big sister's hair and do the hoky-poky kid.  A try to climb into the fish-pond kid... while carrying a stick twice his size kind of kid.

Silas loves balls and he loves our cat... so there you have his birthday cakes.

More things he loves on this cake.

 And, I couldn't resist making a cutie little pun...

Silas is our QT pie :)

Three generations of men, and Silas' monthly baby pictures hanging on the mantel.

This is not his first taste of cake, though with my first kiddo I hovered like a hawk to keep sugar away.  Silas is fast and good at snagging goodies from his big bro and sis, so he'd had a treat or two before this... he enjoyed his cake non-the-less.

He LOVES balls, and LOVES sitting in piles of, well, anything... linkin-logs, pebbles, laundry, blocks, you name it, he wants to be IN it and swimming in it.  He enjoyed being in this ball pit with his sweet friend.

"You heard my Mommy, world!  I'm here to tackle you and soak up every fun-loving moment I can!"

A very happy birthday to our sweet Silas!