Twenty-Four Months = TWO YEARS

Dear Miles,

What a ride it has been! Thinking back on the past two years, sometimes it seems like this very long race we have all been running together, while at other times it has been a mere hop-skip-and-jump...and suddenly here you are in the preschool years (which, by the way, I find difficult to wrap my brain around).

I'm trying to take in as much as I can of your adorable cuteness, the kind that only comes with the chubby-cheeked grins and slobbery-wet kisses. There will come a day when I won't be able to pick you up off the ground and swing you high in the air before bringing you into my arms and squeezing you tight. And you may roll your eyes one day as you read this, but it is just something that your mama will always tear up at...the joy and pain of watching her baby become a boy.

We've had such a busy last month! There was your very first Easter egg hunt, in which you were not so much concerned with finding the most eggs but rather with what was in each of those eggs when you picked them up, and also how much you would have liked a bubble machine like the one that was at that hunt! And don't worry about being nervous around that Easter bunny...he means well, but I might have been nervous myself at seeing him for the first time.

You have really grown in your sports abilities. I have seen you making baskets in our garage, throwing a softball at the latest intramural game (outside the field, of course) and also working on your frisbee throw with Daddy. I have no doubt that you will be talented in whatever you choose to do, sports or no sports.

Something else that has caught your eye, especially because the weather is warmer and we are outside more often, are all those bugs flying and crawling around. First thing you do upon seeing one of those creatures is yell, "Bug! Bug!" and then "Get it!" because you have seen both Mama and Daddy 'get' the bugs. I have shown you some bugs up close, and even offered to let you hold them yourself...but you're not ready for that. I'm sure that will come soon. Hey, if Mama can pick up a hairy caterpillar, surely you can do it too!

Miles, you have such an amazing, silly and crazy sense of humor. It thrills your Daddy and I (your Daddy especially, since he's the goofier one) to watch you discover the humor in things. It is something that has drawn us closer to one another -- laughter with your loved ones is so special -- and we love drawing closer to you through laughter as well. There are times when I am so impressed by how quickly you catch on to funny things, and I am happily surprised when you and I, with a 30-year-gap between us, can laugh and laugh at the same things. Although, that might just say something about my own sense of humor.

It seems you've experienced so many new things this month. I think your relationship with Junebug, our resident kitty, has even grown. She even inadvertently taught you how to scratch your 'claws' on the tree the other day -- go figure! And I have come to appreciate her more as I see her give every ounce of her patience to you. She endures so many kisses and hugs, and she may have a slight gleam in her eye at the time, but I think deep down she enjoys the attention. You will always love your Junies.

We visited the zoo as part of your birthday weekend -- your very first time at a zoo! It seemed to take you a while to get the idea, but I think once you saw those elephants -- really all the biggest animals -- you were sold. And I couldn't help but notice that moment when you were staring through the glass at the panda bear, and all the while you clutched another bear in your arm. I always feel as though I am getting another chance at seeing things for the first time because of you. It is unreal how the rest of the world can melt away when you view the world through your child's eyes. Because of that, I thank you for sharing that pure, untouched joy in your heart.

Speaking of joy, I don't know that I imagined how excited you would be at finding several dozen balloons waiting for you on the living room floor when you woke from your nap yesterday (the continuing birthday festivities). It was a last-minute idea I'd had, and so there was your sweet Daddy, blowing up all those balloons (I helped with about three of them) before you woke up. I think it was all worth it, though, hearing you giggle and squeal with delight while running back and forth, inviting any and all to join you in the "'boons!" Ah, the simple things.

And wasn't I right about you being able to blow out your birthday candle? You did it! Not only that, but you actually requested that we sing 'Happy Birthday' twice. And today I must have sung that song to you at least ten times over. Maybe I didn't want the day to end myself. It's tough, kid...it's tough.

I know I won't always be able to watch over you, my sweet boy. But at least for now, I will hold you and give you all the love I can possibly give so that when I am not there with you, at least my love will be. You are my heart.

Love,

Mama