{ Merry Christmas, Mr. Oliver }

Oliver,

Tomorrow is Christmas, and even though you celebrated your first one last year, we're feeling like this one counts more, because its magic is coming to life through your little eyes this year.

You are 14 months old today, and at least once a day I look at you and wonder how you could have changed so much in just over a year.  You are all boy, a little rough and tumble, and oh so sweet.  You're a charmer.  We just love your giggles and we love to get them going as much as possible.  It's even more fun that you're getting our giggles going with your impish grin, grunts at difficult jobs like exploring boxes, sing-songs in the car, and how you laugh at your own jokes and we have no idea what's in your little head, but we can't stop laughing.

Now you're a big brother and we just can't get over how sweet and loving you are to your baby sister Katy Grace.  You're already working hard to be a helper:  handing me a diaper, responding to her fussing, whimpering when she cries, and helping to burp her.

I miss having as much time to snuggle with you and I can't wait until I am recovered enough to pick you up again, but you've been very understanding.  I am loving that you and your daddy are getting lots of special time together these days.  I love that he plays on the floor with you and how you help add resistance when he does push ups!

Tomorrow you're going to wake up to a stocking and all those presents you've been playing with under our tree.  You're going to go to church and help celebrate the baby Jesus.  It's such a wonderful time of year.  I am praying that this year marks just the beginning of wonderful Christmases all through your life, and I will be praying that you will come to know the story of Christmas in your heart as real and wonderful and that Jesus will come to live in your heart every day, not just at Christmas.

Merry Christmas, Mr. Oliver.

I love you,

Mommy