He''s ONE year old!!!

I know its a cliche but where does the time go to. It only seems like yesterday that a tiny baby boy was being laid in my arms for the first time and now look at him go! At one he is a happy, smiley, easy-going, relaxed little dude. He is all boy - loves drums, cars, balls and anything that is loud or has wheels. He said his first proper word on his birthday - ball, and he is pretty close to saying car. He spends his days crawling around usually with a car in his hand and another toy in his mouth, saying Brrrr, Brrrr. He has not yet started to walk but we think this is because he is such and amazingly efficient crawler. He loves to cruise around the furniture though. He is a real ''people'' person and loves nothing more than to be surrounded by his adoring brothers and sisters. He misses them all when they are at school - Sophie starting school this month has been especially hard on him.

When he is not exploring his world he loves to read stories (especially ''dear Zoo'' by Rod Campbell) and cuddle - and, oh gosh, he gives the most delicious cuddles, I just can''t get enough of them so it is lucky that he is a really cuddly little boy. I am savouring each moment as I know only too well how fast these years fly by.

I had the idea of taking a photo of Benji on his birthday with a big cardboard number 1. I covered the 1 with patterned paper from the range that I intend to use to scrap his 1st birthday photos so i can incorporate the 1 into his birthday album. The photo above was my first shot and I am thrilled with it.

The LO ""Now and Then"" was inspired by looking back at Benjis birth photos and video. I was amazed at how he has changed and developed in one short year and I had to document it. I will use the LO as the last page of his first year album.

We had a quiet birthday celebration with just the family. We had a fish and chip tea at the beach - Benjis favourite place to be, then came home to open his presents. he really wasn''t too interested in gift opening but luckily Sophie was and she happily ''helped'' him. Sophie even got a present of her very own to celebrate being a big sister for a whole year and doing a fine job of it s well! Benjis main present was a ride-on hippo with peek a boo bricks. he also had more wheelie toys - including a wheelie giraffe and I bought him the cutest soft toy giraffe (his absolute favourite animal) to treasure from grandpa who would so have loved to be present at this special milestone. He had heaps of new clothes including the cutest ""big boy cap'' just like his big brothers!

We made him a Pooh Bear cake and he was very interested in the candle, even trying to ''blow'' (read lots of spit!). He loved his first ever piece of cake and we got lots of photos of a very messy little man.

HAPPY birthday precious little boy, you are so, so loved. Have and awesome year being one.