A Letter to My Boy

Dear Davis,
     It's beginning to look like this blog is about the closest thing to a scrapbook that you're ever going to have.  Don't worry, you'll have plenty of photos and mementos from your childhood; it's just that mommy isn't a "scrapbook" kind of gal.  Hopefully one day you will be able to read this blog and discover some things we haven't told you about your life...
     First off, I would like you to know how happy I am with our decision to put my career on hold for a few years so that I can be your number one care provider and teacher during your early years.  We have developed an awesome bond and have shared so many wonderful experiences together already.  You may not remember everything about these first years of your life, but hopefully we are providing you with the very best foundation possible and we are setting the stage for you to have a happy and successful future.
     I thought that in this first letter to you I would tell you about a typical day in your life at twenty months of age...
     You wake up between 6:00 and 7:00 each morning, and you hit the ground running...literally.  You normally roll out of bed (a floor bed in your room now--you never really used your crib much) and start heading for the kitchen.  You eat almost constantly from the time you get up until the time Daddy gets up, and then you eat half of his breakfast, too.  (Just this morning you were imitating your dad, dipping a granola bar into his coffee cup...like father, like son!)  In the mornings we hang out around the house (watching some morning cartoons, playing in your playroom, drawing/painting/play dough at the dining room table, etc.).  A lot of times, you and Daddy will play outside or go run an errand or two while I cook lunch and get some housework done.
     We eat lunch together around noon each day, and after that Daddy takes you to your room for your nap.  He snuggles with you until you fall asleep.  You are usually very tired by this time and Daddy is out of your room within ten or fifteen minutes.  When you wake up, you have a snack and then we normally try to do something fun like go to the park or to the museum.  We are fortunate to have so many great places to go that aren't too far from our house.  We also sometimes go shopping at Target or the grocery store, and occasionally we will go out for dinner somewhere you like--right now Moe's and Chick-fil-A are our favorites because they're so close to home and are very child-friendly.  When they are available, we try to get together with your buddy Cooper or your cousin Sawyer as often as we can.
     You and I have an easy supper together in the evenings, and then you take a bath and have some more play time before bed.  Right now you enjoy doing art activities, "cooking", dressing up, and playing with your tools.  We watch "Blue's Clues" at 7:30 and then we head into your room at around 8:00.  We read several books and then we lie there and sing, talk out our day, and cuddle until you fall asleep.  You aren't as easy to get to sleep at nighttime and you will wiggle your body, talk, kiss me repeatedly and get very silly (all the while yawning and rubbing your eyes) to avoid going "nigh-nigh".
     Our daily routine can change on any particular day based on how we're feeling, having family or friends come to visit, or other types of unexpected events.  There is one thing, however, that happens every single day without fail.  I say this prayer each night after you fall asleep...Thank you, God, for this precious baby boy.  Thank you for his health and for his happiness and for all that he is able to do.  Thank you for choosing me to be his mother and Derek to be his father and please help us to be the parents he deserves.  Please protect him and keep him safe and happy and healthy always.  Please help him to always know how much he is loved.  You have surely turned our lives upside down in the best possible way, Davis, and your dad and I look forward to helping you grow and learn and achieve all of your goals in this life.  Thank you for teaching us about unconditional love, and thank you for all of the many joys you bring into our lives.