I missed little man’s 13 month post because we were
traveling to see family. When we returned from vacation things have just been
full speed ahead with ministry plans for the fall, hence my absence on the blog
recently. So this month I will be combining the two updates.

Jase took his first steps on July 7th which was
an incredibly exciting moment. I don’t think I will forget the look on his
face, the pure astonishment at what he had just realized his feet were capable
of doing. It was beyond precious. Since that day he has been full speed ahead.
Once he realized that he could walk, he has not stopped. It has taken this mama
a lot longer to come to terms with her little boy walking; I still cannot
believe how fast the days go. We have been teaching him sign language to help
him better communicate instead of screaming or crying when he wants something.
He has quite a handful of words now as well. He is obsessed with climbing on
anything and everything he can which results in quite a few tumbling incidents
– I am telling you, he is all BOY!

It has been such a precious treasure watching him grow into
this wobbly little toddler, and I am so thankful to all of you who have been a
part of his little life watching him grow here through the blog, and in real
life too!

To my little Peanut,

I cannot believe you are walking! The first year of life
really goes by as fast as they say. There is so much change, so many milestones
being reached, so many new things being achieved it just makes everything go so
fast. You have been quite the bundle of joy. You look so much like your daddy,
but act so much like your mommy; still to this very day. You love to be the
center of attention and you love to make people laugh. I can only imagine what
you are going to be like when you start school one day. You are known
everywhere you go for the crazy noises you make; they’re so crazy I don’t even
know how to describe them. Your grandpa nicknamed you Velociraptor while he was
here to visit last week; I think that is probably the closest way to describe
those little noises you make.

You absolutely love your mommy and daddy. During vacation,
we would bring you into bed with us in the morning and you would play, then you
would come back and put your head against mommy, and then your head against
daddy – your way of giving us hugs. You would do this over and over again in
between playing. One day, you grabbed your daddy’s face, and your mommy’s face,
brought us together and gave us both your little hug. It’s these moments that
just overwhelm my heart with so much love. Sometimes I just look at you
playing, or laughing, or talking and tears feel my eyes – I love you something
fierce, little man.

You LOVE to play hide and seek. Your dad and I could play it
with you for hours and you would laugh every time you find us, and so would we.
You love to read books, and have even started reading them to yourself. I
wonder what you are saying. I love the way you say “hiiiiii” as your drag out
your “I” with a huge cheesy grin on your face. When you first learned this word
you would walk in circles between the rooms in our house, and every time you
entered the room we were in you would let out a big “hiiiiii!” It is so much
fun watching you grow and learn every day. I cannot wait to see the little boy
that you grow into. But at the same time, little peanut, slow down, don’t grow
up to fast. Until next month….