Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

  • Home
  • About
  • Books
    • Peace in the Process
    • Bringing Home More Than Groceries
  • Contact

Ben is 1!

November 23, 2010 by Kristin 5 Comments

Ben really likes the balloons.

He likes to smile too.

His sister wanted in on the photo shoot.

Did I mention Ben likes playing with the balloons?

So does his sister.

We already had a birthday party. But every day is a party with these two.

Today is just a special kind of party.

______

Happy birthday, sweet Ben!

You’ve kept me on my toes this year, but you’ve blessed me so much. You’ve reminded me that babies are little people who don’t fit into by-the-book formulas. You do things that remind me of Cate, and then I think about how God really knew what He was doing. We don’t share any DNA with you, but Our Father knit us together. To be a family. This family.

We couldn’t have planned a better addition one year ago. You make us laugh harder and love more deeply, even while you’re trying to climb the stairs or taste test anything in your path. I think you’re going to be a climber. People often comment on how happy you are. Indeed. But you’re also loud and on the move, constantly. When you want to eat or sleep, you want it right then and make it known. But you still manage to go with the flow of everyone else.

Your story — which I happily claim as part of my story — reminds me that God cares about the details of our lives. Your smile brings joy into any room. And you draw in strangers wherever we are with your giggles and grin.

Now that you’re 1, you have a bottle radar. It’s only been a couple of days, but you’re drinking your milk out of sippy cups, which until this week you seemed to think were only for water or juice. And it’s soy milk. You were spitting up curdled whole milk.

This week you’ve started a funny gurgling sound and an “O” expression with your mouth. You’ll say “nigh-night” when you want to go to bed or realize I’m putting you to bed. Speaking of bed, you went a week or two without morning naps, but then you took two naps the last couple of days. I’ll just consider it a transition. And realize, once again, that we aren’t made to follow formulas.

You like to follow your sister, who adores you and protects you. And you crawl like a champ. Seriously fast. I guess that’s why you aren’t too interested in walking. You do pull up and cruise around tables, chairs, laps and toys. But when you really want to get somewhere, you’re moving on your hands and knees.

We’ve gotten here. We’ve gotten to a year. And, buddy, I have to admit that I’m glad. I’m excited to see what you’ll do as a toddler. I’m certain you’ll make messes and love every moment of doing so. But I’m also certain you’ll pull us into your world, where joy abounds. And there’s no other place I’d rather be.

I love you, sweet boy.

_____

Want to read about his growth? You can … 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, 4 months, 5 months, 6 months, 7 months, 8 months,9 months, 10 months and 11 months.

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: Ben

Comments

  1. Life as I know it says

    November 24, 2010 at 4:48 am

    I love, love, love that letter. It needs to be framed.

    Reply
  2. Teaque says

    November 24, 2010 at 5:10 am

    I can not get over how much they look alike in that picture of them in the chair. Too cute!

    Reply
  3. Mel says

    November 24, 2010 at 3:08 pm

    Happy Birthday Ben!!!! I can't believe he's a year old already! I know I've only followed his little life here on your blog, but that year flew by!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Ben is nine! says:
    November 23, 2018 at 12:05 am

    […] back on Ben’s life: 1 year old. 2 years old. 3 years old. 4 years old. 5 years old. 6 years old. 7 years old. 8 years […]

    Reply
  2. Ben is ten! says:
    November 23, 2019 at 4:01 am

    […] back on Ben’s life: 1 year old. 2 years old. 3 years old. 4 years old. 5 years old. 6 years old. 7 years old. 8 years old. 9 […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Let’s Connect

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Twitter

About Me

Telling stories is my therapy and I love sharing them with friends on my porch.

The main characters in my stories are my entrepreneur husband, our eighth-grade girl who never forgets, our have-no-fear fifth-grade boy, and our joy-filled preschool girl. As we live out our stories, we seek God as the author of them all.

Learn more about my story here.

Subscribe for Updates

Recent Posts

  • Love Your Home Once Again
  • Creating Family Unity
  • Books of 2020
  • How to make time for books
  • The Advent of Hope

#PorchStories button

Join the Conversation

Join the Conversation

On Instagram

My friend Delana called before she brought us dinn My friend Delana called before she brought us dinner yesterday and asked if we liked chocolate pie. Um, yes. Turns out both Peggy and I love chocolate pie. Delana gave us chocolate chips cookies too, you know, just in case we didn’t like pie.

My friends are loving on us so well this week with dinner & dessert, obviously. Yes, the food is good, but the way they saw a need and met it is even more gracious. (I wrote a book about gathering & nourishing your people!) Having someone provide dinner has freed up some mental space I’m able to use for taking care of Peggy and parenting my kids, some of whom have needed a little extra love and guidance this week. 

Peggy is nine days removed from open heart surgery with quadruple bypass and is doing well. She had a good check up with her primary care provider this morning. We’re thankful for our community of people who continue to pray for us, feed us, and provide help, like today’s impromptu preschool pickup when an appointment ran long. (Thanks, @katie_cunningham85 & @tstanger25!)

#bettertogether #momlife #reallife #morethangroceries #choosingJOY
We are all happy to feel some sunshine today! ☀️#thirdchild #catsofinstagram #winter #choosingJOY
Sweet @ashleelyoung brought us delicious dinner to Sweet @ashleelyoung brought us delicious dinner tonight and the dessert became a craft. I’m so thankful for the way our people love us. 💛 #bettertogether #reallife #choosingJOY
Today is National Milk Day, so Saputo, which has a Today is National Milk Day, so Saputo, which has a dairy plant here in Murray, donated chocolate milk for all the kids at @ncca.lions. This girl has never turned down chocolate milk and basically celebrates milk every day. #momlife #reallife #thirdchild #nationalmilkday #preschool
Honestly, I’ve been in a reading funk. I’ve qu Honestly, I’ve been in a reading funk. I’ve quit one book and started another today, so we’ll see how that goes. 

I did finish this one by @booksbyheather last week and enjoyed it. I loved the Southern setting, charm, and magic. And I loved how the characters untangled assumptions and expectations from their pasts to find where they belong.

What are you reading these days? #amreading #bookstagram #fiction #recommendedreads
I’ve said “I don’t know” more times the pa I’ve said “I don’t know” more times the past few days and months than ever before. I’m a planner, and I’m apparently raising kids who want to know the plan for the day and what’s coming next. Perhaps, really, that’s human nature. 

But I don’t know. 

I don’t know how Covid will affect school, basketball, and summer vacation plans. 

I don’t know how long Gran-Gran’s surgery recovery will take or what she will need from us. 

I don’t know if it will snow. 

I don’t know ... 

There are at least one million things I don’t know. But I do know this was a good weekend to hunker down inside, meet our new cousin/nephew/grandson, eat warm food, and praise God for the way my mother-in-law is recovering from quadruple bypass surgery.

#TeamTaylor #weekending #reallife #livingfaithfully #bettertogether #choosingJOY
I’m happy to report my mother-in-law Peggy is ho I’m happy to report my mother-in-law Peggy is home ... well, at our home, which is her recovery home for the next several weeks. We are grateful for all the prayers, so keep them coming as she recovers from quadruple bypass heart surgery. 

We are also grateful for all the offers to help. Today I accepted them from the @puperson27 (and @carolinemaetompkins & @norah.grace.t), @megandelaneythomas, and Julie because I needed a whole village to get my kids to and from various places and various times. 

And these flowers are lovely, courtesy Friendship Church of Christ and @serenityhcarr. Thanks, y’all!

#TeamTaylor #reallife #weekending #bettertogether
I bought a recliner that doesn’t match and only I bought a recliner that doesn’t match and only awkwardly fits in our living room. When two guys delivered it today, I looked at it up against the couch we bought last year from the same store. 

When we bought the couch at the beginning of 2020, we had no idea how much it we would use it. This house has become a refuge for us. We’ve sat in those gray cushions while having church at home, binging countless seasons of Survivor, watching some basketball games and Christmas movies more recently. Rachel has taken naps. Cate has claimed her favorite cushion. Ben will always have blanket near. 

Now we have this random recliner we never expected because Greg’s mom, Peggy, who is dear to me, had quadruple bypass heart surgery this week and needs a safe place to land when she’s discharged in the coming days. She’s going to recover here, and I was worried she would sink in the couch cushions without using her arms to push herself out. 

The recliner won’t live here forever, and Peggy probably won’t either! But the whole furniture setup is a reminder we don’t know what the future holds. This past year taught us about interrupted plans and smaller social circles. I’m thankful I had a soft place to land with my people and I want the same thing for my mother-in-law, who didn’t even know she had heart problems until recently. 

So here’s to finding refuge in the places that make sense for whatever season we find ourselves. #choosingJOY #socialdistancing #livingfaithfully #reallife #thirdchild
I’m sharing #ontheblog today about creating fami I’m sharing #ontheblog today about creating family unity. Of course, this is always a work in progress around here, but commitment, compassion, communication, compromise, traditions, and Christ all help get us there. While #socialdistancing has required all kinds of adjustments, the time together has allowed for more family game nights, home church on our couches, and deeper bonds within our home.

#linkinbio #bloggerlife #reallife #momlife #thirdchild #TeamTaylor #choosingJOY
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Favorite Places & Projects

Categories

Archives

Copyright © 2021 Kristin Hill Taylor | Design by Traci Michele | Development by MRM

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.