Grant Robert Brown is One Year Old

  

 Grant turned one on Thursday, December 1, 2011.

Ready for My Party

I'll get the specifics out of the way and let Lisa reflect on the what the milestones were.

Jessica and Emma!

Grant's birthday started with Lisa, TJ, and I coming into his room while he was still asleep.  He looked blissful on his belly, in quiet slumber.  We launched into "Happy Birthday" and Grant immediately sat upright and rubbed his eyes.  He turned to see the three of us singing to him and broke out a huge smile to greet us.

Mmmm, cake!  Frosting!

Mommy dressed him in a "My First Birthday" outfit and at the usual time we were all on the road to work, school, and the nanny.  We met up again at Moe's for dinner and Grant engaged everyone who would look at him with a great big smile as if to say, "hey, it's my birthday today!"  The rest of his birthday was quiet before bedtime.  Unlike a year prior, it was a generally quiet and simple day.

Can You Eat the Plate Too?

However...

On Saturday we had Grant's birthday party; a small hoop-dee-hoo get together.  Our invite list was small but significant in the people who have been important in our son's life over the last three hundred sixty five days.  Emma and Jessica, Grant's babysitters from Camp came up for the weekend.  They had only seen him for the last four months in pictures and at that time Grant wasn't even crawling yet!  The Newtons; Tammi, Alec, and Tucker came down from North Raleigh.  Ellie and Nika came from down the street.  Meredith, Grant's nanny, and her daughter also made it. 

Hooray!

Grant was awesome.  He understood, somehow, that the party was for him and that he was the center of attention.  He did not disappoint his fans.  He tore into presents and showed everyone his new ability to clap on request.

Grant learned about cake.  Cake is not just something you eat.  I turns out that cake is something you wear.  On your face.  On your clothes.

It's my reflection that it is a minor miracle to see your little boy bring joy to friends and strangers alike with nothing more than a big smile.   On this day - as with most every day with Grant - he caused a lot of people to smile and be happy.

Happy birthday, Grant Robert.