Birthday Eve

I started a tradition after Noah died to take a picture of Emily on the day prior to her birthday.  Let's just say it was my feeble attempt to make time stand still in the midst of her speedy growth cycle.  It's been fun to look back over the years and watch her grow.

Here is Em's brief history:

This is what the eve of 3 years old looked like...

Hanging with her friend, Annabel, on our lawn in Denver in 2006, about to turn 4.

South Dakota birthday with her long-haired daddy in 2007, eve of 5.

Still "5" in this picture on the eve of her 6th...

Wow, from 6 to 7 brought a lot of growth!

Preggers mom and our 7 year and 364 day old sunkissed daughter, eve of 8

Holy long hair, BatGirl, eve of 9.  And DANG!  my hubby is still the hottest man in my whole wide world in 2011!

The night before double digits.  She's still "9" here, people...I have birthday pictures to prove she turned 10, but haven't posted yet...still in denial, maybe?!

So, that was Em's birthday eve journey.

Ryan's has clearly been shorter.  However, it's been longer than his brother's, and for that I can't even begin to express my gratitude.  To be real honest with *you* I was too weirded out last year to make a big "to-do" about Ryan's first birthday.  There were a lot of "firsts" we got to experience with him and I think his first birthday just snuck up on me before I had the chance to really know what was happening.  I think even part of me was afraid to celebrate his birthday.  Losing a child can mess with your head and heart a little, maybe?!

But this year is a different story.

Ryan turns "2" tomorrow, August 28th.  His birthday "eve" journey has been shorter than his sis' but we made up for it in the kitchen tonight as I tried to get self-portraits of the two of us.  Daddy's in the Dominican Republic for work so self-portrait was the best we could do (Em was brushing her teeth upstairs...)  Anyway, thankfully, since he's only turning "2" and won't remember that his dad was out of town on the 28th, we're officially celebrating this coming weekend.

But, in the meantime, I had to capture Ryan's 2nd "Birthday Eve."

Ryan's original "birthday eve..."

No "eve" here...this is the real deal.  Ryan's birthday, August 28th, 2010

Looking through pics I didn't capture his 364th day, so here's his official "1st Birthday"

Fast forward to August 27th, 2012...my little lover turns "2" tomorrow!

I don't ever want to cut his curls!  What am I to do!?  Some old man already called him a girl the other day!  But I can't get myself to cut his curls off!

Cracking up!  I could listen to him laugh ALL.  DAY.  LONG!

Look at all those teeth he grew in the last year!

"It's my last day to be "1."  Tomorrow I turn "2."

I'm so in love with you, son.  I'm in love with your curls, your laugh, your voice.  I could nibble your ears, cheeks, and lips all day long.  Your toes warm my heart and I catch my breath in awe and joy that your head fits perfectly in the crook of my neck.  You are my little boy and you bring me so much joy.  Thank you for calling me MOMMY.

"Of all the boys in the world, there's no other boy like Ryan...
And everything that he does is cool just because he's Ryan...
Whenever he's around, he can turn your frown upside down...
He'll lift you straight off the ground, he's a candy colored clown...
He's a lot like his dad, he's totally rad, he's Ryan...
If you only knew...if you only knew him like I do, you'd feel the same way, too, because he's too good to be true...
Ryan...there's nobody else like Ryan...a sweet little boy named Ryan...there's nobody else like him..."
(my remix of a song that actually had Em's name in it on a CD long ago...I sing this to him at night along with some old school Jesus songs and Edelweiss and Favorite Things from Sound of Music...)

Happy Birthday Eve, Lover!  I can't wait to celebrate with you tomorrow!