four the love

Dear Garrett,

I can't believe how big you've grown! I have loved having you in my life these last four months. Today I wanted to tell you some of the things I love about you.

Garrett, I love when you wake up happy, when you look up at me and grin when I ask you if you want to get up. I love that you like to play with me, that you let me hold your hands while you lock your knees in a stand. I love that you look up and smile when I call your name. I love that you laugh when I tickle you or hold you upside-down. I love how kissable you are. I love that you love your evening baths, how you kick and splash and grin whenever you're in your watery element.

I love that you enjoy your alone time, that you can sit contentedly in your chair or lie happily on the floor. I love how you coo and babble and have apparently incredibly enlightening conversations with yourself. I love how you sigh after you sneeze. I love how you gnaw, nibble, and suck on every one of your fingers, how you pull my fingers towards your mouth when I hold your hands. I love the blank baby-face stare you pull as drool dribbles down your chin. I love how everything is wet after you've been through.

I love the faces you make when you taste new foods, that you open your mouth wide even when you're unsure of how what's coming in is going to taste. I love how you like to help hold your bottle, even though your "helping" does more to pull it out of your mouth than to keep it in.

I love your fascination with the world, how you find everything around you interesting and worth staring at. I love that you like to know where I am, that your wide eyes follow me as I move about the room. I love that those same big, blue eyes brighten whenever you see me. I love your round little face and those darling cheeks. I love your tiny mouth and your jutting cleft chin. I love your pale pink skin and the pale blond hair that sometimes sticks straight up off your head.

I love how strong you're getting, how your head wobbles as you hold it up, that you can push yourself up off the floor when you lie on your tummy. I love that your hands have more control, that you can pick things up and play with them. I even think it's adorable that you can pull your binky out of your mouth, even though you and I both know you'd rather it was left in there.

I love those moments when I feel that I know you backwards and forwards. But I also love how you're always changing and learning new things, even though sometimes I wish I could keep you this way forever.

I love how sometimes the only way we can get you to fall asleep is to swaddle you in your blanket, pull your Lovey over your head, and set you in your chair next the classical music playing on the stereo. I love how other times the only way you'll go to sleep is if you're safely cuddled in the crook of your father's arm. I love how you snort in your sleep. I love that when you're tired, and I hold you up to my shoulder, you nestle against me and stretch out your arms in a dependent embrace. I love that you need me because I need you, too.

I love you, Garrett. Oh my, how I love you.

Love,
Mama

Every boy needs a pair of rocket ship pajamas sometime during his life.
Here is Garrett at 4 months in his.