18 weeks!!!

dearest sweet boy,

today marks 18 weeks that we have been snuggling together! i had to double-check that number, because it seems as though time is just flying by. you are growing so quickly! lastnight i was thinking about all of the stuff that i love about you, and how, as you get older, some of these things will change. of course, there will be new things to love, but, as much as i poke fun, i love your sweet fuzzy head. i love kissing the back of your head and rubbing my cheek on your adorable baldness :-)

you are getting so strong, and i know that it won't be long before you are mobile. i will miss your sweet cuddles as you are off exploring... and i will miss your very loud cackling as we lie in bed together in the wee hours of morning... but i won't have to miss your excitement, because i know that joy is yours forever.

i know that i have said it before, but you are a wonderment, sweet boy. we love you sooo much and are sooo grateful that we are able to learn from you and share with you and stroke your darling cheeks and nap on the couch with you... you. are. love... unconditional.

on the milestone front, this past week you were introduced to sweet potatoes (you love them, of course). you are a pro at rolling from back to tummy and tummy to back. you are wearing anywhere from a 12 month to an 18 month shirt. your size 3 diapers are getting to be a bit snug, but by golly, we are gonna finish up this case!!! you are a chatterbox! when you wake up at o'dark thirty, you cackle and coo to yourself for a good 45 minutes. loudly. it's hysterical! and when mommy brings you to me at 7:30, the chattering continues, until i put the 'sleeper hold' on you, and we nap for a bit together. you follow your schedule faithfully... our motto is, 'if you mess with the piece, the piece messes with you!' you must have your cereal around 7:30 p.m., and then you are cleaned up, jammies put on and you are put in your crib where you put yourself to sleep almost instantly. unless, of course, you are thrown off schedule... then it takes a bit longer for you to fall asleep. speaking of sleep, you are sleeping through the night with no more snickity-snacks. you usually 'wake-up' around 10:30 p.m. and 2:30 a.m. because you are trying to roll over, but you are up against she side of your crib. we rearrange you, pat your little bottom and all is once again right in your world.

i love loving you, rhys oak.

happy 18 weeks!