9 months old

(Jackson and his scratched up nose. Fell down playing and hit it yesterday)

Jackson,
You are 9 months old today.
You have been alive as long as you were in my belly.
So I guess it's been 18 months, with us, just trying to figure out one another.
I enjoy being your mother more than anything I can imagine.
It gets hard some days, and sometimes I feel like I need a break,
but the moment I'm away from you, you're all I want to think about.

You and I have become the best of friends.
You think I'm really funny, and I will do just about anything to get you to laugh with me.
You love your independence, which I'm not sure I like since you ARE 9 months old.
You love standing by yourself and making messes. You talk up a storm even when no one's in the room.
I'm in a constant war with you to keep you alive.
You love wrestling with dad and spending time with him.
Let's not even talk about how much you love spending time at Lela's (my mom) house.
They give you everything and anything you want there.

I am completely in love with you. I don't know how I can love someone so little so much.
You are developing into a beautiful boy and every day I debate on whether I want you to stay the same forever or whether I want to see you accomplish so much more.

Today I say the latter. But don't hold me to it in the next few months when you find your legs and discover there's a world to run around in, and mommy's just the one that says no a lot.

I love you, Jackson.