Thursday, December 31, 2009

Over My Shoulder

Dear Dashell,

As I lie here in bed during the last few hours of 2009, thinking back over the last year, I am struck by how much you have changed. The baby I remember from 2008, was but a vague glimmer in the mischievous eye of the child I witnessed growing and evolving every day in 2009.

Your birth day 2008...


Your birthday 2009...

Reading books 2008...


Reading books 2009...

Halloween 2008...



Halloween 2009...


Thanksgiving 2008...



















Thanksgiving 2009....

Christmas 2008...


Christmas 2009...


You are becoming such an amazing little boy. (Although sometimes you still like to refer to yourself as "baby", you are definitely not a baby any more!) I treasure every moment we share and every conversation we have. Like the other day, when I mentioned that it was raining, you had to see for yourself and then you had to make sure that I understood that "agua" was coming "down" from the "sky".  It was so sweet of you explain the rain to me (and go over it several times to make absolutely, positively sure that I got it.) Later that day, memories of that conversation kept a smile on my face as I raced through that wet, wet rain while running errands.

I realize that you won't remember any of this and that makes me sad. (But who knows how much of this I'll even remember in a few years. Your memory is the first thing to go, right?) Most people's earliest memories are from about 3 or 4 years old. That being the case, I understand that your father and I are the keepers of your memories for this period in your life. I hope you know that I do not take this lightly. I have fallen a little behind lately (like I'll be posting about Thanksgiving 2009 in 2010, yikes!), but I resolve for 2010 to try to be a little better. To shoot a little more video. To write down a few more of the moments that make you so special. To commit a little more of your early life to paper and film. I know I will only get to see you go through these stages once. I don't want to forget any of it and maybe, someday, you'll want to revisit your "lost years".

I hope that the next year brings you at least as much joy as the past one. I can only imagine what lies ahead for us. (I'm definitely hoping that that we won't top our record of three trips to the emergency room!) I know that there will be giggles and there will be tears. Life, my love, is unfortunately full of both. Please always remember to soar as high as you can during the joyous times and to learn as much as you can from the painful ones.

In case you're wondering, 2009 for you ended on a high note. I took this picture at 8:15pm tonight, just before I put you to bed...


Happy New Year Dashell!!

Thank you for coming into my life in 2008. And, thank you, for bringing so much joy to it in 2009.

I love you buddy.

I love you so much it hurts.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

And what a beautiful 2009 Dashell and his parents have made for us.
With love,
Grandma & Grandpa

nickoletta100 said...

You are soooo good at writing these kind of posts. What a lucky little boy Dash is to have you as his mommy!

Best When Used By said...

Happy New Year to you and your family. As usual, a beautiful post, beautiful pictures, and so touching. I swear, that tot of yours gets cuter and cuter!

A Blissful Nest said...

What a beautiful way to look back at the year and your little one!!