Baker's Letter

Baker Boy,

I have carried you all along.
For two hundred forty-three days in my body,
for seven hundred twenty-seven days in my arms,
for my whole life in my heart.

You make me so proud.
I am so very proud to be your mommy.

You are my biggest smile,
my favorite slobbery kiss-giver,
the best high-fiver.

You are the one I want to watch all Mickey Mouse Clubhouse episodes with,
the soft head on my shoulder,
the little hand I want clutched in mine for the rest of my days.

You are the sweetest love,
my answered prayer.

You are sunshine.
You are strength.
You are smiles and giggles.
You are your daddy's best bud, and your mommy's little angel.

At almost two years old,
you love life so big.

You wake up every morning with a grin on your face.
Seriously, you do.
Your daddy and I love starting our mornings with you.
You waste little time before signing "music" and "eat."
That's your mommy and daddy in you.
Your daddy, the music. Me, the food.
He wakes singing, and I always wake up hungry.
I love that you are made perfectly of both of us.

You love reading.
Every night we read many books together, me always giving in to your plea for "mo, mo, Mama, mo."
Right now, you especially love Love You Forever.
I always cry.
And you always laugh.
Probably because you are secretly scheming to throw my watch in the potty just like the little boy in the book.

You would spend all of your days outside.
You are such a little boy.
You like swinging high and riding fast.
There is no slide too steep or sandbox too deep.
You are rough and tough.
Getting dirty doesn't bother you a bit.
Skinned knees rarely slow you down.
Your newborn scent has been replaced with the smell of dirt and sweat and grass.
It is intoxicating.

This has been a big year for our family, filled with a lot of changes.
You have handled them all like a champ.
Even as your mommy, I look to you to see how you respond.
Many times, it's better than I would.
You have taught me so much about faith, and strength, and perseverance, and love.
You have taught me so much about so much.

Sweet boy, this has been an incredible journey.
Thank you for teaching me how to be a mommy.
Each new day, each new stage is my new favorite.
Days spent with you are the best of days.

From the top of your head,
to your sweet little toes,
and all of the kissable spots in between...

Farther than the moon,
more than all the stars in the sky,
I'll spend the rest of my days showing you how much I love you,
how deep and how far and how high.

Mommy