14 Months

Dear Westley,

You are recovering from your first cold. Until a few days ago, you had never been sick, ever. It was amazing and no one would believe me when I told them. "Not even an ear infection?" Not even an ear infection. And as colds go, this one isn't so bad. You have a runny nose, and there's lots of crying at bedtime, but that's it. I wish I could take some credit for this, but it's all you. You are some kind of superhuman child with a mutant immune system, I swear.

I missed your 13-month birthday, because it was New Year's Day, and I couldn't believe it was 2009. I'm sorry. I should know better by now, be more on top of recording your leaps and jumps, but I guess I don't, because I'm not. I think if I were to write down everything new you do and say, I would have writer's cramp by 10 AM every day. You really do change all the time. You discover a new food every day (spinach is a favorite). You talk and I realize "That's a new sound." You don't always nap, but when you do, I think you wake up taller.

You walk all the time now, which I still find incredible and adorable. You pick your feet up deliberately and march along, like a supermodel walking in second position.

I wish I had your energy and stamina. I try to keep up, but you leave me in the dust, always. I feel so sluggish around you, and I still don't know what to do with you a lot of the time. It's like The Runaway Bunny, only you haven't told what you're going to do in advance. I never know whether to be a gardener or a tightrope walker or a tree. Sometimes I think I'm not very good at being your mother at all.

But you still want to be with me. Tonight you flopped all over the mattress on the floor of your little room, cuddling me and kissing me, and putting your head on me pretending to sleep. You cry "Mama, mama" and nothing else when you're upset, and you shake your head "no" and hold on like a monkey when someone tries to take you away from me. I'm so lucky: to be showered with love from a sweet little boy, and I've done nothing to deserve it.

Love,
Mommy

.....................................