Dear Jude,

Today you are two.  It does not seem so long ago that you surprised us with your very being; a trip to Disneyland that was colored with exhaustion and a sister with a sixth sense telling us that her little brother would dance with her did not prepare us for that morning when we found out, with two little pink lines, that your life had begun.  My life with you in my belly was not easy, it was difficult and painful at best, but upon your arrival on March 19, 2008, we knew that you were just what who we needed to make our family complete.  Our boy: the Judel Noodle.

Photo 395

From the get-go, you were on the move.  Our first glimpse of you in utero left us wondering about the activity of this new child who would join us as you bounced from side to side, flipped this way and that, somersaulted, cartwheeled, stick fought, and threw rocks (I think) while we watched you with amazement.  I was shocked that a baby at 12 weeks was so incredibly active!  You stayed true to that upon your arrival, and once you started crawling, then walking there was no turning back.  This world is yours to conquer!

Photo 386

You came with your own sense of self firmly intact.  Blue, orange and yellow are your colors.  Even though your sister, whom you adore, wants to dress you as a princess, you’ll have nothing to do with it.  You have a man’s sensibility, requiring tool belts, balls, bikes and building materials instead of dolls, pom-poms and dress up clothes.  Snuggles, kisses and hugs need to be given sparingly, as sometimes they seem to embarrass you, but of late, I have melted inside when that little chubby toddler hand reaches out for mine.  You are becoming milder as you grow and mature, something that I both embrace and am saddened by as it is a sign of my little boy growing up already.

Photo 366

I look at you and wonder who you will grow up to be.  You are a reader already, spending hours with books, and your vegetarian tendencies are already apparent as we rush past the meat department with you pointing and hollering, “EEEEeeeeewwww!  Yuck!”  As everybody else looks on.  You climb anything that will stand still long enough and run as far as you can get before I catch you.  I wonder if you, that active boy of mine will run alongside your dad, be a carpenter or with your love of books will you be a scholar?  Whatever it is, you will have my love and support always.

Photo 408

I will savor every moment with you, my baby, as you travel through life.  Please don’t grow up too quickly, please cling to me a little as I cling to you and your little baby ways.  Let me hold you, nuzzle you and comfort you when you fall.  I can’t believe that two short years of your life have already rushed by, and while I look forward to loving the man you will become, I want to savor these fleeting moments with the toddler version of you.  I love you, Jude.  I wish you the happiest of days today and always.

XOXO

I love you,

Mama

Photo 361


Comments are closed.