34 weeks and 6 days

On Thursday, April 19, you will celebrate another month-birthday. Eight months old- holy cow!! But an even more impressive celebration is that on that same day, you will be 34 weeks and 6 days old- the same age you were gestationally when you were born! You have almost been outside of me and in this world as long as you were inside of me! That amazes me, baby boy. It saddens me, thrills me, excites me. Knowing that you are always growing makes me sad because I know that this perfect stage that you are at now will soon be gone, just like that perfect stage you were in just last month, or several months ago. These beautiful stages of learning, developing and growing you do are but fleeting, I am so afraid to blink and miss something. **In fact- something I noticed something earlier this month that I hadn't before- you have a sweet little mole on your back, right above your left (I think??) bum cheek.** That is only one of the reasons I do these blog posts, my constant Facebook updates, my monthly portraits, my monthly stories (which, by the way, I am STILL a month behind, with another due this week!) and always have my camera out. I do not want to forget how amazing you are and always have been. I love watching you learn and take in your surroundings. I swear you are the most observant child ever. You don't miss a thing, whether it's something being set down within your reach or momma leaving the room for one second, you react, you know it. I seriously enjoy every minute I have with you. I may get exhausted, may feel some annoyance or frustration, but even then I am able to look at your sweet face and empathize with your own exhaustion and frustration, and love you that much more for it. You are such a huge piece of me, I see it in your face, your expressions, your personality- a perfect mix of your mommy and daddy. I love to watch you flirt with the pretty girls, just like your daddy does. I love to watch you figure out how to use your hands just like daddy. I love that you are a mommy's boy and want momma around all the time, even if I act exasperated or annoyed- I LOVE IT. Cherish it, really. Some babies aren't cuddlebugs, they don't want mom to love on them. They don't care if they are picked up and soothed, or left to fend for themselves. Some are too independent. You are PERFECT. You want me, need me, love me. But you are learning independence as well. I love your quick lopsided grin. I love your wiggles! I love your giggles and sweet babbling. I love your hair that goes from red to blonde to red again. I love your deep gray eyes. I love your sleepy pout, which is apparently something you got from me. I love those perfect lips. I love how full of personality your little, though fleshy and perfect, body is. I love that you let others hold you, but often look around for mommy. I love that you listen for my voice. I love that you stop what you are doing (even eating!) to find daddy when you hear his voice. I love that you play peek-a-boo with me. I love how smart you are, especially with our sign-language lessons. I love that special little mole on your back, a memento from your mommy's side--- you should see Uncle AJ's dot-to-dot back! I love who daddy and I are because of you. We are so happily in love, so happily content with our lives. On the weekends when we spend so much time with you, every hour, if not more often than that, we look at each other and say "I love that kid. He is so (insert synonym for 'perfect', 'beautiful', 'awesome' here)." Because you truly are. And we know it's because of us. You are the best thing we could ever hope to do together, the best parts of each of us.

Anyways, I better get to the point of this little love note- Hudson Michael Beck, you are perfect and extremely loved.

Love, Mommy