More and more, my sweet little baby is looking like a boy.
He wakes up from naps with bedhead – shocks of his little blond hair sticking up. We have inside jokes and laugh together; he knows how to make me laugh now. He sneaks chocolate and loves tomatoes. He shares food and kisses with me. He plays toss with a ball. He loves trucks.
But, he still loves to nurse, and that? I will treasure. It’s one of the only times of day he is still and quiet and deliciously baby-like. I can take a moment to kiss his fingers and the palm of his hand.
Going through 365 days worth of photos and videos from my baby boy’s first year of life made apparent that this baby is veering toward toddlerhood. He sat quietly, smiling at newborn Gabe on the screen; watching newborn Gabe stretch and coo. (Kid doesn’t show interest in any sort of television or video, except if it’s of him. Ha.)
He is so big. So awesome. When I look back on my four years of marriage, I think Who was that girl? Who was that guy? I hardly know either of them! I have a feeling that parenthood, this process of unfolding our child’s personality, will be much the same. Watching newborn Gabe, I now feel like I only knew a smidgen of who that baby was.
My sweet Gabriel. My angel.
I am blessed to be his mother, and am delighted that we have many, many more years together.
Gabe’s First Year. from Ashley Marie on Vimeo.
Song: “Gabe” by Jerry Douglas
Natasha says
This video brought so many tears to my eyes. He’s grown so fast in the last year and it’s fascinating to see those changes. Thank you for sharing this.
L.C.C. says
Oh my word. How amazingly precious. What an incredible year.
Becky says
This made me cry, so I can only imagine how you’re feeling! Happy first birthday Gabe! Your parents love you more than you’ll ever know!
rosie says
You guys are the cutest family! Happy birthday to little guy! P.S. Great song :)
Hazel says
He is so precious! Such a fun video to watch.
Erin @ The Speckled Palate says
Awww, Ashley, so sweet! (And this post makes me wonder if I’ll look back at just-married E&W and wonder the same things after our first child is born. Love it.)
Happy birthday to Gabe!
Jayme says
Happy birthday to a beautiful little boy. May the next year bring as many smiles, as many milestones and as many memories as the first.
Jess says
Oh, this is amazing. I feel that way about Callum too. Like the newborn was barely even him compared to how very HIM he is now. And I know he’ll only get more and more himself as he gets older and eventually I’ll feel like the baby we know now was also only a tiny little bit of him.
Happy birthday, Gabe! Can’t believe it’s been a year already.
Michelle @ To mother with dignity says
<3 So so beautiful.
Happy birthday to him! And happy surviving the first year of mother hood to you!
Can you believe these babies are already 1? And they're little boys now, and no longer little babies? How did that go so fast?
tillie says
happy birthday Gabe…thank you for sharing his {and your} life with us!
mandy says
Happy Birthday to such a precious boy! I can’t believe he’s one. Beautiful video, Ashley.
lauryn says
Thank you for providing my daily dose of adorable! Happy birthday to Gabe! It’s been fun to watch that cute little guy grow up this past year.
Habbala says
Can we talk about how I am crying watching this? And how I remember last year when Gabe was born and it doesn’t even seem that long ago?
Kathleen says
I can’t tell if I’m laughing or crying! Happy birthday Gabe!
Mrs 1st Lt says
oh ashley – sniff! he’s so precious. happy happy day to him! i remember checking the internet last year to see if he’d been born yet! :)
Tabitha says
Um, WHY AM I CRYING RIGHT NOW? That video montage is too stinking cute, and I think I’m crying because I’m imagining myself in your shoes (someday), watching my baby turn one year old. Watching my husband become a father. Ack! I need to quit thinking about this at work! *sniff* :-P
Nilsa @ SoMi Speaks says
I don’t know what it is about you and that gorgeous little boy of yours, but I got so weepy when I watched this video. You have done such an amazing job of balancing perspective with parenthood, something a lot of parents are unable to do. And it shows – Gabe is an amazing little one-year old. I think I love the most that his eyes have been all his ever since he was born, from bald top to mop of hair! Beautifully done, Ashley!
Stacey says
I just teared up watching this video! I have absolutely adored watching him grow from teeny-tiny baby to toddler this first year on your blog. How generous of you to share all of this with us! Happy birthday Gabe!
katelin says
this is seriously just the cutest. love seeing gabe again as a wee baby to a little standing, cupcake eating toddler boy, haha. so precious. happy birthday gabe!
Cait says
Aww, what a sweet video! Gabe is such a handsome boy – those eyes get me every time! Happy birthday Gabe! :]
Melissa says
This post made me all weepy and ‘awww’ about a million times. Seriously. You’re such a great mama and it’s so clear by the way you write about your love for Gabe.
Elizabeth says
If I feel this weepy about Gabe’s birthday, I’m going to be SUCH a mess when Hannah turns one! Phew.
This is such an amazing tribute to an incredible first year. Happy birthday sweet Gabe!
Aileen says
Thank you so much for posting this video, what a gorgeous delightful child you have!! You can tell he is being raised by happy contented parents!! Happy Birthday Gabe all the way from Scotland xx
Lea says
Simply beautiful! Hapy belated birthday to Gabe and to you…it’s your Mommy birthday! :)
Lea says
Oops…I clearly can’t spell tonight…that should read “happy belated birthday”!
Stephany says
The video made me a weepy mess. Gabe is such an adorable, fun (from the looks of it!) baby and he is so, so blessed to have you two as his parents. I hope he had such a great first birthday!
Elizabeth@Family Menu Planning says
I’ve made a video like this for each of my kids. They are such a treasure to watch over an over as the years go by. My kids love watching all the videos too. Thanks for sharing Gabe’s!
Ginger says
Super belated, but YAY ONE! He is just the most adorable little man…and you are just the most adorable mom.