Fall in our yard...

"...One thing about having a baby is that each step of the way you simply cannot imagine loving him any more than you already do, because you are bursting with love, loving as much as you are humanly capable of- and then you do, you love him even more."- Operating Instructions, Anne Lamott

Seth, you're getting so big. I look at you, and my heart aches sometimes with how much I love my little man. I am so blessed to be your mom. I will never take that incredible blessing for granted. Out of nothingness, out of despair, out of tremendous heartache... you appeared. And your smile makes it all worth it.

Last week, you said "Da- da" for the first time. We were standing at the door, watching Daddy come up the walk, and I said, "There's Daddy," like I always do. You pointed, and you said, "Da-da." You didn't say anything before that, and you didn't say anything after that. Daddy came in just as you said it. We both looked at each other, hardly daring to believe it. Before I had you, I would never have believed that such a small thing, just one syllable from baby lips, could mean so much.

That was also the day that you gave us kisses for the first time. You've been kissing yourself in the mirror in your "Do you know new?" book for a few weeks now. But that was the first day that you gave Daddy a kiss when he asked. Your kisses are wet, smiling, open mouthed things right now. You don't kiss the book anymore. I missed getting a picture of it. And that's the way it will continue to be. I will blink, and a small phase will have passed. I don't want to forget a single one of them.

I love you, baby boy. Enjoy your first fall.