Ravin's Ramblings

My dearest Zander,

You are one and how much I love you! I love you all the way from the top of your head to the bottom of your toes, which just happens to be from the crook of my arm to my knees. You cannot imagine the fierceness with which I love you. You began as an extension of me and gradually grew apart and seperated into your own little person. Now I look upon your face and my heart warms, swelling with pride.

You are one and you are the very best of your Daddy and I. Your dad wanted so much for you to have my eyes, and you have them along with the dimple on my chin. You have your father’s smile right down to the tiny gap in his front teeth. You have your father’s cheeks and strong jaw line. Already so many family members and total strangers have remarked at what a good looking man you will become, so evident even at a year old.

You are one and you smile and dance throughout the day. Every day, you explore the house and backyard as though you’ve never seen them before and you endlessly jabber to the kitty or the doggie. You squeal with excitement as you watch the world out the window. You love to watch the dogs walk by or the squirrels scamper and play. You love for me to sing to you when we ride in the car and when I stop you ask for more and even sing along with me. Every emotion you feel shows on your face from confusion to concentration or glee to distress.

You are one and when you are upset, you present yourself to me and fling yourself backward upon the carpet in a half suicidal baby meltdown, yet I can easily persuade you that all is fine in the world. A kiss and cuddle do the trick most of the time though some times a song is needed. If it was a particularly enthusiastic display I may have to resort to graham crackers and milk, but you love to smile more than you like to cry. So, it never takes much to make you sing again and dance. And I am breathless with delight watching you transition from baby drama to bubbling over with joy.

You are one and you are so sweet and caring. You share your bottle with your cousin just to comfort him when he cries. If the bottle doesn’t work, you’ll even share your blankie. You wander up to me many times throughout the day to give me a hug and to receive one in return. You cannot let the morning pass without giving a hug and a pat to the doggie or your Teddy or your Blankie. You show us all you love us in a million tiny ways.

You are one and your favorite pastime is to make us laugh and smile. Whether it’s Daddy or Grandma and Grandpa, you delight in our laughter as much as we delight in yours. You’ll babble a funny story or make funny noises to get my reaction and interaction. You’ll dance the way your daddy taught you for your own delight, but when I applaud, you clap too and laugh and dance again with more enthusiasm. Even when you throw your food on the floor just to see if I’ll pick it up for you, you do it to share your curiosity and joy and don’t understand why it doesn’t bring the same reaction from Momma.

It won’t always be this simple between us. I will no doubt embarrass you when you get older and you will eventually grow up and not need me as much (my heart breaks at the thought). But for now, you are one and you stretch from the crook of my arm to my knees. And I will hold on to you. And I will tell you about all the things you could become later because right now you are my little one. So, my future president, rock star, band geek, quarterback, chess club guy, I will hold you and sing to you as we rock. On the outside, I will love you from the crook of my arm all the way to my knees. On the inside, I will love you with all my heart and soul. And I will hang on to this moment forever.

All my love, always!

Love,

Momma