A Month of Gifts: Day Nine

Lately, I have been reading Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts. As Kieran enters the last month of his first year, I decided to list some of the gifts we have celebrated since that wonderful March day as a sort of countdown to his very first birthday:

27.  Chubby cheeks and bulging bellies. Sometimes I wanted my baby to be a tiny baby, so he didn't look older for his age. Around five or six months, he was really chunked out! And, while he has slimmed down quite a bit now, I am so grateful for that healthy appetite. It was one more thing I didn't have to worry about. And just look at those cheeks!

28.  Friendship. I cannot anticipate who Kieran will develop lifelong friendships with. Obviously, he does not even understand the concept yet. But I love that I get to watch him interact with other children his age, and I hope he can find the kind of kindred spirits I have throughout the years.

29.  The pure, unconditional love I feel for this boy.