I read an article recently about a woman who kept track of all of the cute ways her daughter said certain words. It helped her to see just how her language was evolving. I wish I thought to carry a notebook around with me during the day to do the same. You've said so many utterly fascinating and adorable things to me over the past year.

I told Daddy just the other day that all of a sudden, blammo!, you went from calling The Wiggles "The Woo-Woo's", which you did for months on end, to calling them by their proper moniker. It was that clean of a cut. You got in the car on the way to Grandma's for our Thanksgiving visit and said, "Listen The Wiggles, Mommy!" I have to admit I'm now missing "The Woo-Woo's". That was so darn cute. And it was your funny and singular way of interpreting the world.

I find myself simultaneously wanting you to grow up and to stay small. I want you out of diapers for many selfish reasons. But I want you to stay small enough to snuggle perfectly around my mid-section when I pick you up. You were running around in your PJs at Grandma's and you looked so tall and grown-up. I felt tears coming to my eyes. My baby. It's true. I want you to grow up and experience the world, but it's all happening so fast. If I blink, you'll be so big you won't let me hold you in my lap anymore. And you won't grab my knee and kiss it when you're comforting me. And you won't take my hand and lead me to where you want me to see something you're doing. Argh.

Last night as we were lying in bed, you seemed a bit disinterested in the book I was reading to you. I stopped and asked you what was wrong. You rubbed your eyes and looked at me with a very unhappy face. "I not inside the mood, Mommy" You were trying to tell me that you weren't interested in the book. Instead of crying or saying, "No, Mommy!", you were putting it into a sentence, with feelings. Although I had to chuckle because I think you got the terminology from me. I'm famous for telling you or Daddy that "I'm not in the mood." Boy, I'm a bad influence! But the fact that you're communicating in such a new way is pretty exciting.

Yet I still want to hold on to the baby talk. I still want you to be my tiny, little guy. Every step you take forward is a triumph for you. You're learning and growing and conquering. And I'm trying my darndest not to hold you back. I just hope that you'll let me hug you as strongly when you're all grown up.

Posted on November 25, 2006 10:04 PM