happy 2, jameson...

Happy 2nd birthday, Jameson!

Such a fun bunch of cousins!

We had a great time celebrating your life with our family in South Carolina.

And of course, the theme was SPORTS!

You'd been practicing the "happy birthday" song for weeks, so when it was finally THE time,

you knew exactly what was going on...

...and exactly what you were supposed to do at the end...

Here was the moment:

You also knew what to do with your cake:

Shove it in that mouth!

Time for presents.

What little ball player doesn't need his first baseball glove?

You wouldn't drop that glove even to get on your new tricycle!

(Can I just say I I LOVE this picture?
Such a real snapshot of our family.

As Jameson's working on his batting practice, the girls are belting out "Let it Go" from Frozen, and the rest of us, with Uncle Johnny in the lead, are cheering them on.  

Always a fun time together!)

the concentration

Jameson,
I can't even begin to tell you how in LOVE you are with bats and balls.  You were in HEAVEN with your new bat and teeball stand.

Then Uncle Larry and Callie joined in to play.

Swing batter batter swing!

I'd say you loved it.

(And seriously, could you be any cuter, little guy?)

While the boys played ball, the girls headed outside to pick bouquets.

And the women of the family attempted to nail down some Christmas plans, which is getting increasingly more difficult the larger our family grows!

And while the boys played ball

and the girls picked flowers

and the women planned...

the men slept.

(ha ha!)

On a more serious note, I can't ever go through one of my children's birthdays without a keen awareness of their birthmothers, the ones who brought them into the world and who will also remember this day, though it might carry a sting of pain instead of balloons and streamers.

I'm eternally grateful to them.  I truly can't say that enough.

While I enjoy the benefits of celebrating my children's birthdays, it was not I that birthed them.  I don't deserve them.

And yet, God has blessed me beyond measure with these precious two.  To Him be the glory.

Happy 2nd birthday, Jameson!

We love you and look forward to many, many more.