25 July 2009

wild thing, i think i love you


dear benji

my boy, my boy, my boy. eleven months today. oh how you've grown. i almost said changed, but it's not that you've changed really. you are simply turning into the you that was always there. and i love that. you are you. a child of God, someone so special. i love knowing the you that unfolds every day. from the moment you were born, others told us, it only gets better. and i thought, no way, this is the best. this is magic. this is it. and it was. yet it is. my heart is growing with you. we are entwined.

you seem to learn things at such a rapid pace. crawling on hands & knees, standing, pulling up, cruising from chair to ottoman and back. as i watch, i see you are practicing like a stalwart olympic athlete to complete each feat. a champion at pulling up and plopping down. your landings are solid. i love the wobbly way you stand, feet wide apart as though you are waterskiing for the first time, balancing more steady each day. you roam to a new adventure, attempting an obstacle like an avid climber. you make your attempts without rope or harness. you pull up on anything and everything. sometimes for a moment you let go of your wall as if to say, look, ma! no hands! and then you quickly fall back and start all over again. happy as can be.

you are my wild little monkey, laughing at funny things like the sound of the garbage disposal or the face i make when i yawn. you chat with dad in your high chair while he irons his shirt each day. you love your berries and cantaloupe. i love you in the mornings when you are bright eyed and bushy tailed and rearin' to go. i love you in the afternoon on long walks, in my arms cuddling or hustling all over the house. smiling at strangers in the post office. i love the way you crawl your way over to me and pull yourself up as though i am a hill to hike. your destination is usually my dangly earrings or the phone i'm talking in to or perhaps the camera i'm shooting. you want to take part of it all. little do you realize, you are my all. you are it.

i love you at nighttime when we blow bubbles for you to catch in the tub and read the same stories we've read all afternoon and wrap you up only for you to unwrap. i sing a song or two and lay you down and you stretch your arms out to take up your whole bed. maybe you got that from your pops. it's completely adorable. stretching out on the cool mattress, batting your eyelashes, letting yourself to sleep. you know the drill, you've come to count on our daily routine. and i have too. eleven months is enough time to become best of friends.

i love you benjamin.
thank you for turning my world upside down.
it's a better view from here.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

absolutely adorable. And your words are so sweet. Cherish these moments :)

Meg said...

Marta, you have a way with your writing that is so incredibly magical. I appreciate that you share these intimate feelings - they always make me a bit misty. Isn't motherhood the best?

Unknown said...

Oh SO sweet! I can't believe it's already been 11 months!

brooke said...

Marta--you are such a good writer--you have a way of capturing motherhood! Benji is the cutest. It does get better every day but you will miss each stage too.

Travelin'Oma said...

These mothering posts must be compiled into a book.

Cat said...

Marta, you are so sweet. Benji must take after you... I agree with Travelin'Oma: a book is a great idea!

Jake said...

He is so precious, Min! Enjoy every minute.

--r said...

you have such a lovely way of putting things into words. thank you for sharing your gift and your benji with us!

Jeanne Oliver said...

Sweet words for your little Benjamin. My third is also a Benjamin and he isn't so little any more...he will be 3 in a few months. These are precious days.

Amanda said...

This is so sweet to read how much love you have for your son. How amazing!

Kayla said...

He looks exactly like you, except with short hair. ;) I love reading these posts about him.

ALFIE said...

i can only hope that i exude your love and passion for mothering, when i have little ones of my own. your honesty and solid sense of self is inspiring.

and of course--benji is a doll!

Crystal Johnson said...

So sweet! I can't believe he's so close to ONE!!!! I've been "lurking" since he was a month or so...

Diana said...

You have the most beautiful way of capturing your baby boy and the love you have for him. I just love reading your letters to him. What a treasure they are. (P.S. Benji and I almost share a birthday...I'm August 26th...turnin' 30 while you're little one turns 1 on the 25th!)

maryirene said...

wow! 11 months. that's wonderful.

One Love Photo said...

you are the best MOM! Loves!

The White House said...

I love that last part "Thank you for turning my world upside down, Its a better view from here" It gave me chills, and made my eyes get a little wet... Only one month, and my world will flip flop too.

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