Dear Henry,

Dear Henry,

I am writing this to you while I wait for you to settle back down in your crib for your afternoon nap. Thanks to this video monitor I have propped up next to me I am able to watch you go from lying down, to sitting, to jumping up and down in your crib, and then back to sitting. I'm hoping the next step, you silly boy, is finally falling asleep. And the whole jumping in your crib thing? This is new and something you discovered only last week, along with a million other things you've discovered over the past few days. You're 14 months old now and I feel like now, more than ever, you are growing at an exponential rate. Each morning you talk a little more, walk (run!) a little faster, and and with each of those words and steps, you are changing from our little baby into a toddler.

These past 14 months have absolutely flown by. You don't know how many times during the day I wish so badly I could just stop time for even a moment so I could focus on taking it all in. Last night you ran over to me and gave me the biggest hug, "mamamamama," tiny arms reaching around me, your head pressed into my neck. You wouldn't let go. I flashed back to when you were the tiniest baby and I remember thinking that it couldn't possible get any better than right now. But that right now came and went, and a million more right nows happened, each one a little better than the last. So I'll say it again, as I watch you finally settle down to sleep, I can't imagine it could get any better than this, right here, right now.

But in an hour or two when you wake up, and I open the door to your wild bed head and that big goofy grin, it will already be better. I feel so grateful to live this life with you, I feel so lucky to be your Mom and to spend everyday with that sunshine smile of yours.

I love you Henry!

Mama