Dear Owen

February 23, 2009



Owen,
I can't believe you are one. I think every parent says this, but the time has gone so fast! You are so amazing and beautiful and I love every little thing about you. You are the sweetest boy ever! You have changed my life for the better and I thank you! During this past year, so much has happened. You have grown from a tiny newborn to full on marathon runner!! :) haha ok so maybe just it feels like you run a marathon every day! I love so many things about you. I love your little fuzzy soft wispy hair. It is so soft and cute and when you get up from your naps it just goes everywhere. I love your hazel eyes. They are the most amazing greyish green color with a brown stripe in your left one. I love your sweet baby arms that reach up to have me hold you. I love your little hands that leave little marks all over our house. I love your little legs and feet that run around and climb the stairs. It is so funny when you do something naughty you take off running. For example when we open the dishwasher you grab the first thing you see and take off running. Usually it is a spoon but you know you are being naughty when you grab and run.
You have always been so active from my womb to now it has been non stop. It would feel like you were doing jumping jacks in my womb sometimes and my ribs were quite bruised from all the pushing you did on them. Then you came out and boy were you alert. It was like you came out and said "hello world I am here and I am going to keep my eyes open to see and learn everything I can". Because of this, you just catnapped mostly but were awake a lot more than I thought you would be. You just loved to see what was going on. Around 5 and half-6 months you started to crawl. It was hilarious. At first you just did the scootch with your arms. It was like you were doing a pushup every move you made, but shortly after you started this you learned you could use your legs and you rancrawled. I call it that because you crawled as fast as you could. When I would see other babies crawl they took their time but not you, you jumped head first into everything. You have no fear. A day before you turned 9 months you took your first step. And less than a week later you were walking. You also quickly learned how to climb the stairs and wriggle your way out of your highchair till you're standing. I think your motto is "Go big or go home". You do everything full on, head up, no fear. You just go. I think you like to go too much sometimes because you don't even look back for mommy and daddy. If you have a chance to run, you go and don't look back.
You are also so curious and want to touch and feel and taste everything. Once again, you always had no fear when it came to this. Whatever you touched, you didn't even pause for a second to see or feel it, it went straight into the mouth. I can't even imagine all the gross things and germs that you have eaten that I don't even know about (and all the things I do! yuck!)
You love to eat cheese, I think it is your favorite food. You prefer it above all things I give you. You love to read Goodnight Gorilla before bed. It is your favorite book. You will push all others away to find it. You love to be read to anytime. You will grab a book and run to me and curl up in my lap and we will read books. It is the only time you sit still. We can read book after book after book. You love cell phones and the keyboard and mouse. If you grab anyone's phone you grab it and run because you know you are not supposed to play with it. You also love to go by the computer and reach for the keyboard and mouse and just pound. You love animals, you have never been afraid of animals. When you were only 5 months old a dog growled and you thought it was hilarious. I was afraid it would scare you but you giggled and wanted to touch it. You giggled every time you touched fur. You love to chase feebee around and try to touch her tail.
You are so happy! You have never been much of a fusser or crier. You always have the biggest smile on your face. When we go to the store you just smile at people and I have gotten numerous comments on how cute and social you are. You always have a smile for everyone and you can't help but be happy when you smile. You hardly ever cry when you fall down or bonk your head. Only when you are tired, then you come running to mommy and everything is better.
I love you! I love it when you come running and give me a big open hug. I love you so much and I know that every year my love will just grow deeper! I will always be here for you and I am so thankful that I am lucky enough to be your mommy! Love forever,
Mommy