It's Mother's Day...

Dear Elliot, my Buster Brown, my Lil Bug:

It's Mother's Day, and because I was lucky enough to have you 9 months ago... I am a mom. :) What a cool thing to say, and what a fantastic day we have had celebrating it. Our friends and family are wonderful, and they made me fell very loved and appreciated today.

Your Dad had a gigantic balloon, flowers, and some tasty food waiting for me when I woke up this morning. I am so glad about the balloon, because you (and the cats) love it so much. You like to hit it and giggle hysterically when it floats back towards you. You also think it's funny when I bonk your head into it. ;) My favorite though was a card your dad wrote to me... I felt very loved and appreciated by him especially. That's the best gift he could have given me today.

You surprised us all by starting to crawl this week (Friday, May 7th, for posterity's sake.) Just a few days before you had started pulling up onto all 4's and rocking, but progress seemed to have stalled there. Thursday we took you for your 9 month "Well Baby" check, and your doctor said she wasn't worried. You are a bigger guy, and therefore it's harder for someone your size to get up and around. That night I said to your dad "I think he'll be crawling before May has ended." You must have taken my words as a challenge because FIRST thing the next morning I put you down on your tummy to play while I ate breakfast, and next thing I knew you were scooting yourself across the carpet. It was a very slow process for you at first (and I loved watching you work so hard at it!) but you are improving rapidly... Just take it slow for another day or two to give Dad and I a chance to catch up with the babyproofing!

Your other new trick is "sharing" with us. A toy, a piece of food, whatever you are enjoying in the moment you like to hold out for us to enjoy as well. It's so endearing. I love to pretend nibble on your toys and say "Thank you!" before handing it back to you. Sometimes we will do this many, many times in a row. I love it each and every time.

Best of all is that you are doing things now with such intention. I love to watch you think so hard about what you are doing... even your babbling seems to have purpose. I think I have caught you saying "Dada" about your Dada a few times, but am not entirely sure. If not, that will definitely happen soon, and I can't wait. (Feel free to toss in a few more "mamas" while you at it though... they are few and far between.) :)

I love you my lil bug. Thank you for making me the happiest mama ever on my first Mother's Day.

Love,
your mama