On the eve of your 9th birthday.

I am thinking about how it could be possible that my first baby will be 9 tomorrow. Wasn't it just yesterday you were small enough to carry, signing "more," and talking about the "me-at" (cat, combo of meow and cat) out the window? Weren't you just small enough to snuggle on my lap, and I would rest my head on yours feeling that soft baby hair?

These last few years have just flown by, and this birthday is bringing up lots of tears in me. Halfway to 18. Last single-digit year. Nine!

To my LEGO-loving, Mario World loving, book-loving kid who is the best playmate to his little brother I could ever imagine, you are the one who brought me through the big change of woman to mother. You have big emotions and I am in no hurry for you to grow up. Look how far you have come, from the days where you were up at 3:30 am for the day and just wouldn't nap, and the hours-long tantrums because you just didn't have the words to tell me what was going on inside that head of yours.

Here you are in 2007:

in 2008, with your new brother:

in 2009:

here you are just after turning 7:

and here you are just a few weeks ago, being goofy, which you never were as a toddler. You were always so serious! You have learned sarcasm, and started telling jokes you have made up. I see more smiles from you these days than I ever did when you were small. I know your little brother has a lot to do with that, as does reading silly books like Big Nate and Captain Underpants. My heart grows bigger because of you and this goofy grin, kid!

In just a few short years, I will be the one looking up to you (your legs grow longer every night, I'm sure of it!), and your sweet kid voice will be replaced by a deeper one. I am so lucky to be your mom, and to spend these days with you. xoxo