A Letter to my Son on his 9 Month Birthday!

Dear Decker,

9 Months Happy!  3/4 of your year of firsts is now behind us and as fast as it all has gone it seems impossible that last holiday season I hadn't even met you yet.  This time last year I had no idea that your name would be Decker, or that your eyes would be blue, or that your smile is infectious, as is your laugh.  12 months ago I was still anticipating the shape of your face, and the curve of your mouth.  It does seem impossible that this time last year I hadn't met you yet because now it  feels like I've always known you, as if you were always in our life, making each day brighter, sunnier, happier. 

You may be only 9 months old, but your physical abilities seem to indicate otherwise. Though you are not yet walking (and barely cruising) it is no matter because the ease and agility with which you perform "stunts" is awe inspiring. You can climb.  The steps were where you learned to climb up but everything else is your base for climbing out and down. The high chair. The exersaucer. Your car-seat carrier.   I am hoping the crib is still a while off.

You've finally gotten more teeth. The four top teeth came in all that same time along with a third bottom tooth. That fourth bottom tooth is working on it but seems to be a bit slower than the rest. 

Now, with a mouth full of teeth, you can chew and prefer to eat table food. As a result your diet is far less healthy than it was when you were eating puréed fruits and vegetables. You've also mastered your pincer grasp and can self feed most small pieces that are put in front of you. Of course, once you grasp the food, you can also chuck it across the room with strange accuracy 

We celebrated Thanksgiving, which was fantastic. Aunt Bonnie visited from Florida and was so delighted to see you and be with you, her little DJ. You are extra special in her heart, being that you were named for Jamie, and both the honor of his name that you represent and the absolute wonder that you are fill her with so much joy, as they do all of us. 

Over Thanksgiving break we also went to Maryland for the day to celebrate Uncle Bunny's 90th birthday.  It was so nice to see all of the Citrenbaums, together in one room, and celebrate such a milestone. I was thrilled to have you be a part of it and to have so many people meet you. Although neither you nor Bunny will remember the day it is a remarkable valuable moment for me, and for Pop-Pop, to know you were a part of something so special.

Celebrating Bunny's 90th

You are all over the place and constantly on the move.  And, though you can play nicely by yourself, you are in constant motion, which is evidence that you are a Tovsky brother.  You have mastered climbing up the stairs and are attempting to climb up everything from me, to the bookshelves, to the beds.  You also like to put all the wrong things in your mouth.  If we don't watch you, you will have a nice steady meal of lego pieces.

When you're given a bottle we hold it for you.  Truthfully, none of us mind, and knowing that the time is going to soon end, I do want to give you as many bottles as possible.  However, you act like you are unable to hold your own bottle.  Then, one day, I walk into your room at daycare to find you giving yourself your bottle.  You little stinker!!  Now that we know the truth we still give it to you, but when we need to, if we place your hands on the bottle you will hold it up yourself.

Holding your own at Daycare

You took your first school picture.  The class photo is funny as it is just you and little Phoebe and Ms. Cheryl.  Your individual picture came out quite good. I call you my Superman in the picture because your hair is darker than normal, your eyes are bluer than normal, and you have the Superman curl.

Superman

You still love the guitar, the phone, your brothers, and the bath.  When I sing the Decker song, sung to the tune of B-I-N-G-O, you laugh and pay close attention trying to follow along.  You love that song!  You're still a pretty serious baby, taking in everything around you, studying the world preparing to master it, but you've learned to be silly, to laugh, and to have fun.  And, we all laugh with you. You have been a gift to all of us for the last 9 months and you will continue to be so for all of the days to come.

                                          

I love you so very much, happy 9 months, baby boy!

Mommy

xoxo

reflecting

Turner at 9 months

Chase and Ryder at 9 months

Thankful!

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite time of year.  The fall air, the four day weekend, the over indulgence of food and drink, the chaos, and the lack of religious overtone makes it a near perfect holiday.  

This years thanksgiving was no different.   It began with a home cooked family breakfast around the kitchen table that in addition to eggs and bacon and an ample serving of grateful remarks, a huge dose of laughs, and a morning music provided by Turner!  It was exactly the weekend brunch I dreamed about having.

We had a weekend guest of Aunt Bonnie, whose presence is always filled with laughter, and as a result had a turnstile of visitors, which was so nice.  We also spent the day on Friday in the Poconos with much of my extended family and it was so wonderful being wth everyone, near and far, on a non-religious occasion.  All the kids, and adults too, loved Boulder Field, being together, and our "Thanksgiving Dinner part 2" with the Levin's was really wonderful!

 


The holiday is also, not by coincidence, the weekend of our wedding anniversary.  

My wedding was my most favorite day of my life.  On Thanksgiving eve, and the biggest party night of the year, all of our closest family and friends were with us, making us ever so thankful.

The party was great, the room was beautiful, the view was perfect, and our future was bright.  Looking into the eyes of my beloved and vowing forever was the easiest decision I had ever made in my life.

This year we celebrated our 8th year of marriage.  8 has always been my lucky number.   With the way my luck has been this past year.....I hope my favorite number proves its worth in the next 12 months.  

As I celebrate this day with Todd I reflect on our beginnings, our courtship, our honeymoon years, our life.  I reflect on all that was, all that is, and wonder all that will be.

You see marriage is a lot of wonderful things.  Most of which I wouldn't change.  The give and take, the compromise, the arguments, the teamwork are all a part of love and marriage.  But, I wouldn't say marriage is easy.   Not all of the time.

When things are good in life, the pockets are deep, everyone is healthy, the kids are behaving, the bills aren't piled high, sure, that is when marriage is easy.  That is when it is easy to hold your partner's hand and proclaim "I love you and this life that we built!"

But, what about when things are tough?  When you're sick and tired and cranky?  When your kids are all that and more?  When money is tight?  When tension is high, as is stress?  When nearly every stroke of bad luck possible has hit you?  That is the true test of a love.   Can you still hear the laughter?  Do you still get chilled by his touch?  Do you still look into his eyes and know, that through it all, you chose right back then, you'd still make the same choice today?

I have never doubted my marriage.  I have never doubted the man Todd is.   I have never doubted our love.  But, as I think about our anniversary, and look back on our "we've had better" year, I am even more sure than ever before.   Holding Todd's hand through the good is rewarding, holding it through the bad is comforting.  Sometimes life sucks, but it might as well suck with the people you love!

At our wedding

For the first time as husband and wife

Happy eight years, Todd.  Happy Thanksgiving, All.