My baby is one!

This post has taken me over a week to write and I do feel guilty about that. I'm just. . . still in denial.
How can it be that an entire year has gone by so quickly?!
My sweet, chunky, baby boy is a toddler now and I can't remember how or when that even happened! He has brought so much more love and joy into my life and I don't think that i'm ready for him to keep growing. My little girl turned 3 in June and with her full on talking, writing, imaginary friends, and even a little boyfriend, I just want to keep my baby a baby forever. Don't get me wrong, I love how grown up my Katie girl is. In fact, my absolute favorite part of motherhood is watching my children learn new things. That first step, a new word, writing their own name, clapping their hands. . . it's all so amazing to me and one of the reasons that I so love being a stay-at-home mom. I wouldn't miss these small moments of learning for the world. Everyone asks me when I will put Katie in preschool and my response it that we do home preschool. Some think i'm a little crazy, and while schedules and routines have always been difficult for me, I just couldn't stand to not be there to witness my little one learning. I just love it. On that same note, watching Nolan learn as been incredible. They are so different, Katie and Nolan, and it was so fascinating to note all the differences. Slower in some areas, quicker in others. They are such unique and different little people, it's exciting to me.
Nolan has just started walking around and he gets so incredibly proud of himself when he does it.
He's been saying "mama" for quite a few months now, as well as the occasional "da," but he's been branching out lately with sounds like "broooom brrrrooom" when he's playing with his cars and trucks. Such a little boy he is!
He is still my little velcro baby, quite attached to me day and night. There's just nothing like the comfort and security of his momma. It can be tiresome sometimes, when I'm trying to make dinner or shower or run errands or breathe- but I love it even more. There's something so special about being someone else's most important thing in the world.
His smile and laugh are so wonderful, it just makes me want to cry! I've always been an emotional person, but motherhood has really amplified it to an extreme amount. The smallest thing will put me in tears now, most often happy tears.
Nolan is a happy, healthy boy who loves his family, loves to play with his sister, and loves to be outside. He enjoys eating new foods, trying to be more grown up than he is, climbing on things, figuring out new ways to be as loud as possible (banging toys together), and laughing while pulling out chunks of mommy's hair. He'll eat just about anything he finds on the floor, which often results in bits of crayon or beads being found in his diaper. Oh, the perils of having a very artsy craftsy big sister. Speaking of, I would say his two favorite "foods" are crayons and chalk, and I can't seem to keep them away from him. When he's got a sister who draws and colors almost 24 hours a day, I can't seem to keep up with the tiny crayon hidden in the rug or the piece of chalk in the grass. Nolan is very good at finding these things for me and tasting them too.
He keeps me on my toes and keeps my arm muscles strong from carrying such a hefty little guy around.
I simply love my Nolan James. My family just means everything to me and he makes it hat much more complete. While I'd still like 3 or 4 more (I want a big family!) I'll settle with my two for right now.
As long as Nolan stays little, that is. ;)

I stuck all the pictures at the bottom of the post because I was too lazy to incorporate them into what I already wrote. 

This is kind of an oldie, but I think it's hilarious!

Little man LOVES to be outside and play in the mud.

He wasn't a huge fan of this big owl.

This happens at least weekly. Just so adorable. My handsome boys!

Nolan loves to sit in just about anything that he can. There's a popular cat meme with pictures of cats sitting in random things with the words "if it fits, I sits." I think that can also apply to this little boy. Boxes, crockpots, upside down chairs, tupperware, stock pots, trash cans. . .

Just having fun at the park!

He loves to play and splash in water.

Mother's Day.

The morning of his birthday. He was certainly spoiled. Way too many gifts and I held him almost the entire day. Being held by mommy is his favorite thing after all.