Six months ago at this very moment, my water had just been broken. I was still enjoying my epidural (which would wear off with well over 3 hours to go into hard labor until the c-section was finally ordered around 4 a.m.).

At that moment in my mind I was trying to imagine what it would be like to hold my son, kiss my son, tell him just how very long we'd waited to see his tiny little face... I knew our lives would change forever the instant we heard his first cry. I never knew just how much though. Or how it would literally be impossible to imagine a single second of our lives without him here on the planet with us...

It really is amazing to witness the changes that go hand-in-hand with the first six months of life. The little being we brought home from the hospital was completely helpless and dependent on us for everything. The little man that sits here beside me can now hold his own bottle for an entire feeding. He can sit up on his own. He can "army crawl" and rapid-roll to get wherever he wants to go. (Babyproofing 101 here we come!) He holds his arms up and out when he wants to be picked up. He can jump to the moon and back in his new Jumperoo. And he loves to make us smile and laugh at / with him.

And most of the biggest milestones hit in rapid secession of one another, literally over the span of three days. Hardly enough time to adjust to the changes taking place, and those we know are soon-to-come.

Just like his mommy, he talks and babbles non-stop. He doesn't know the meaning of "decent bed time". And he's Amazonian -- taller than any one-year old we've held him up next to (and fitting perfectly into 12-18 months clothing at the moment). And just like his daddy, his eyes could melt butter. His wicked little smile will get him anything and anywhere he wants out of life. And he's captured my heart in ways I couldn't even have imagined on February 2, 2004.

He's the perfect blend of the two of us and our love for one another. And tomorrow, he's half a year old.

I love you so much, son. Just slow down a little bit, ok? Life didn't come with a still-pause button and I desperately need one!

xoxoxoxoxo,
-Your Mommy