Happy Birthday, Blake!

My baby is one year old. So isn't it fitting that the last post I made on here was his birth photos? lol I have obviously not kept up with the blog since having two kids, although I have still taken some pictures of them. I still have to edit them, but here is one birthday picture to start with... until I get my groove back and take something better. Taking pictures of a little boy who has just learned to walk is hard as he is just wanting to go and explore and getting eye contact is about impossible! This was the last one I took of him the other day and I was happy to end with a keeper. :)

His birthday theme is John Deere. It may seem simple enough to most people that know Derrick is a farmer. However, ever since he was born, I've struggled with not wanting to "label" him with anything. I just wanted him to be a little boy and experience everything: cowboys and indians, cars and trucks, planes and trains, superhero's, etc. But, I finally let go of that fear of having him be just one thing... he'll do it all on his own in his own time. If he doesn't want to farm, he doesn't have to be a John Deere guy for life. He can be a man in a suit if he wants, even if he was a farm boy to start out. :) And with that, I finally found my inspiration today for his name artwork while rocking him to sleep.... a whole year after he was born. I've tried out so many ideas but just never found one that I thought worked, because, again, I didn't want to label him with just one thing that he was stuck with his entire life. So, if he doesn't like tractors when he grows up, he can get rid of his name in a frame for something he does like. Artwork image to come when I finish it...