Dear Matthew,

The party is over.

The house is picked up.

Our guests are gone.

And you, my boy, are no different today than you were yesterday.  Thank goodness!

You still snuggle with me.

You still love to nurse.

You would still rather sit in the shower with me than do practically anything else.

You still blow kisses and wave hi and bye-bye.

And you’re still my baby.  You’re not a toddler… yet!

What You Love:

• Your Daddy
• Your Mommy
• Your plethora of friends – you are the happiest, most social baby I have ever met (and I’m not just saying that because you’re MY baby!)!
• Your kitties, Lily, Jackson, and Janie (you especially love Janie!)
• Your pillow
• Your Boo monkey
• BOOKS!  Oh my, you love, love, love books!
• Kissing everyone and many things (like favorite pictures in your books) with a big, wide, open mouth!
• Blowing kisses
• Engaging everyone in conversation wherever we go
• Clapping!  You clap for yourself, for Mommy and Daddy, for your friends at the gym… for EVERYONE!
• The pool – or any other place where you can be wet (like the shower, a slip-n-slide, a sprinkler, the tub…)
• Everything you eat – you are the best eater ever!  We get comments from people everywhere we go about what a great eater you are!
• Guacamole – I have to call this one out because it is your favorite!
• Yo!Baby yogurt.  You pitched the biggest fit at the grocery store yesterday when I put it in the cart and didn’t feed it to you on the spot.  HA!
• Getting into the tupper.ware drawers
• Playing with and eating toilet paper
• Mango
• Your activity tables
• Dancing
• Hip hop and rap (much to Daddy’s chagrin!)
• Your two favorite friends, Rachel and Claire
• Naps – not going down for them, but you love the rest they bring you (you’re a GREAT napper!)
• The computer and mobile phones – you can’t keep your hands off of them (and Daddy loves letting you play with them, which is not normal but is super, SUPER nice of him!!!!)

What You Don’t Love (I won’t say ‘hate’):

• Diaper changes – even if you’re filthy and stinky
• Cake – you spit it out immediately (but not the frosting)
• Being dirty (yay!)
• Long car rides
• Being in the stroller for too long
• Going down for a nap
• Being away from either Mommy or Daddy – but you get over it rather quickly because you’re so darned social!
• Your jumperoo – you do not like being contained!

As you can see, sweet boy, you are so happy and you like most everything.  I was hard-pressed to find things to put on the “Don’t like” list.

You have brought so much joy and love to Daddy’s and my life – you have completed us 100%!  We had spent 5 years together before you were born and though they were wonderful years (we had lots of fun and have so much to tell you!), our best year has been the one we’ve shared with you.  You are our best friend!

As you know, we worked very hard to get you.  It was a long road with years of tears and frustration (especially for Mommy).  The minute we found out we were having YOU, all of that sadness went away and we’ve been nothing but happy ever since!  We would go through those difficult times over and over again if it meant that we’d get you in the end each time.  We both love you to the ends of the world and back again – and that will never, ever change.

Happy birthday, my little bunny.  I love you so much!

Love,

Mommy