Wow! How do we already have a ONE year old? Photos keep popping up on my phone from this time last year of our fresh little newborn and I just can’t believe it. Time ticks so fast especially with children. As parents we are stuck between wanting them to stay little and dependent forever and wanting to see them check off milestones and develop into their own person. The past couple months I have watched and encouraged Banks to take his first steps, to his first walk, to now an almost full charge waddle. I find myself proud of how well he gets around but that pride is followed by anxiety of how well he gets into any and everything. My hands are officially full. My days are now filled with “Banks get out of that” “Banks no” – All while he turns that sweet little face to my voice and smiles with those two buck teeth. Oh my heart and former organized bathroom caddy.

A YEAR OF LOVE AND LESSONS

The last year has been a year of mental and emotional growth for us all. More than anything it has taught me about patience. I have always been honest about not having the most patience. But more than anything our children need our time and our patience and sometimes it is impossible to do it all. I have had a hard time excepting this. I want to write a blog post, work at the salon, go to the gym four days a week all while also cooking four well balanced meals, keeping our home clean and mostly free of dog hair. Oh and I would like to keep my plants alive. Maybe read a book? This is just a few things on my list but in reality some days I have a clingy baby and a needy toddler taking up almost all my attention and it is an accomplishment to just have bottles clean, laundry caught up and maybe reply to a couple clients text. I still have my moments of need for control that I struggle wanting to get more done but as I said this has been a learning year. Salons in Kentucky were closed for almost three months. That was three months of unemployment. Not working was so foreign to me, Even with Miles I worked part time and it was so nice to get out of the house, wear regular clothes and just socialize even if it was at work. I will be honest it took a couple weeks to get use to being home with the boys 24/7. It was a bit overwhelming. I looked forward to my husband coming home from work just to have a moment to myself. This was my lesson in patience. I learned quickly I was outnumbered and as much as I wanted to do things around our home I normally did not have time for I had two babies wanting my time more. We had almost three months of almost uninterrupted time together. I got to see Banks do and learn things I barely remember Miles doing. I got to soak up so much of both of them. I jokingly call Banks “my shadow” because that kid would live inside me again if he could. He is a mama’s boy and boy do I love him. He has taught me so much in his short year of life. Life is very messy and unexpected but the time we have with our children is so short and the cycle of day to day life sometimes lets us forget that. Thank you my sweet Banks for teaching me patience, to roll with the punches a little more and to love a little bigger. You are so, so loved Banks Conrad.

We celebrated Banks birthday at home with family. The day before in Corey fashion I began decorating. Typically we would have had a bigger crowd but even with a smaller crowd I couldn’t help myself going a little overboard with the decorations. I just love it! I wanted a beachy theme for my summer baby. “Let’s have a ball Banks is one”! notice the beach balls. The boys are still playing with beach balls. I am not going to lie I did not have an air machine and I will be purchasing one for future balloon arches. I blew balloons for over an hour. I bought an arch kit from Hobby Lobby and it was so easy! It was a simple as placing balloons on a strip and hang the strip. I used zip ties to attach to the wall and create the arch or dip exactly where I wanted. I already told my friends to be prepared for a balloon arch at every event from now own. lol

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Happiest birthday to our sweet, sweet boy!