“525,600 minutes….525000 moments so dear…525600 minutes…how do you measure a year.I love that song from “rent!”! With my son turning one tomorrow I can’t help but to think back to this time last year. How could you not reflect!? For a long time now I have been looking back on old posts, pictures and videos. So much has changed in a year! I can’t think of any other year that has brought so many new things. Pretty much every single part of my life was turned upside down in the most amazing way, and I find myself tearing up regularly just thinking about how much my son has grown.

Last year on the Wednesday after Thanksgiving (today) I was in the hospital deep into labor. I know it’s not actually the 1st today, but in days of the week time it’s when my son was born. Last night I was up later than usual and was lying in bed at 11:30 and thought to myself, oh my goodness. Last year almost exactly at this time my water broke. It couldn’t have come as more of a surprise. It began my adventure to meet my son. I think for a VERY long time, every year at this time of year I will be able to reflect on that wonderful and exciting (yet painful) time. I guess I get to forever remind my son of those 17 hours that it took to get to meet him. Just one of the perks I guess!?

The last year brought so much joy into my life. Sometimes I sit there and look at my son and think “could anyone be happier than me right now?” My life has become exactly what I have wanted it to be. How many people in this world can say that? I am truly blessed to be one of them. I get to do my dream job of being a mom. I get to be a wife to the most amazing husband, and I have the greatest family and friends a girl could ask for. Could it get any better than this?

I have done and learned so much this year. Being a mom forces you to dive head first into the deep end. What other choice do you have but to learn through trial and error? I learned to breastfeed my son, I learned that I could survive (barely) with out sleep, and even more important I learned that I could comfort my son better than anyone else in the world (Captain Awesome is a close second of course). I think the best thing I learned is to go with my gut. No book, person, or doctor can tell me what’s best all the time. Although they can be guides and give amazing suggestions, ultimately it’s me that has to live with the consequences.

The first year of my sons life is quickly coming to an end. We’ve had many great adventures together that I will cherish forever. As it ends, I wonder how it can get any better and that scares me. Next comes walking and talking and a ton of new things to learn. I can’t wait to learn along with him, and continue to see the world through his eyes.