Made in Richmond

JR,

It’s finally started to register with your dad and I that your first birthday is just around the corner, I’m assuming because you’ve hit the double-digits when it comes to how many months you’ve been with us (outside of my person, that is). And we’re celebrating this milestone while on your first “for real” vacation at the beach. It’s been great to spend so much interrupted time with you, free from distractions of work and regular life, allowing us to soak you up and enjoy the little boy you’re turning into.

Just over the last couple days you’ve started pulling up on everything and everyone, cruising around the room and getting into anything left within your reach. You do all this while babbling and pointing CONSTANTLY. Seriously, you with the babbling, how can you have so much to say? Yesterday, whe I went in to get you up from your nap, you bolted up from being dead to the world and thrust your finger into the air, declaring “Bubba dleh dleh DAH DAH DAH DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOG.” Pretty much any moment you’re awake, you’re making noise. Your father is responsible for that, I have no doubt.

Our nursing relationship is slowly fizzling out. We’ve been nursing just in the morning for the last few weeks (you get bottles the rest of the day), but lately, you latch on for just a few minutes, and then pull of and go roll around on the bed until we bring you a bottle. I figure we’ll keep doing that as long as you’re interested in the morning. That last little bit of breastmilk will only do you good, so I figure we’ll keep it up until I sense from you that you’re completely, 100% done.

I think part of me was afraid of ending our nursing relationship because I thought we might feel less bonded after it was over. But I can safely say that’s not the case at all, mostly because of your recent tendency to, shall we say, lose your sh*t when I walk out of the room. Usually you calm down pretty quick, but you’re definitely a mama’s boy at this point. I see your eyes seeking me out when you’re not perched on my hip, and the smile I get when I walk up to retrieve you from whatever arms are cuddling you at the moment is, oh Lord help me, specTACular.

Perhaps the most exciting thing that happened this past month was your baptism. I’d been looking forward to it since the day we found out you were coming. We love our church so much, and it was great to “officially” bring you into that part of our lives. I was overwhelmed by how many people came out to celebrate the day with us. It’s comforting and wonderful to know that you’ve got so many other adults invested in who you are and what kind of man you’ll grow up to be.

We love you, bud. Love, love, love, love, crazy love.

Love (see?),
Mama