Reflection

Our son Aleksandar turned 18 months yesterday. I know it may not sound like a milestone but anyone who is a new parent knows how it feels to have a toddler who's 6 months shy of their 2nd birthday. Its almost unreal that just a year and a half ago he came into our lives. Naturally making his grand entrance by deciding to come a few days early in order to make it right on time for Mother's Day! The moment I laid eyes on him I, for the first time, believed in love at first sight. I never needed to protect someone so desperately. I'd make double sure that anyone entering the room washed and sanitized their hands. I'd eye the nurses making sure they were doing everything just right (as if they hadn't been doing the same thing day in and day out for the past Lord knows how long). He was ours. Our very own...and in saying that its difficult to imagine that we've been responsible for this human being for the past 18 months. He's grown so much and so fast. Learns as much as he teaches. Laughs more than he cries. And melts our hearts each and every day...

A note to you my son,

You have got to be the funniest human being I know. You make your dad and I laugh until our belly's ache. You are seriously hilarious kid!

Some of the things you are doing now

-You enjoy giving high-fives and knuckles. Even to strangers...even if they haven't asked for them. You've made more than a few grown men laugh like kids in a playground and I must say it seems to have made their day. High-five for that!

-You love giving hugs and kisses and literally stop whatever it is you are doing to run and give us a kiss on the knee or thigh (which is where you reach us now), but that is not even the kicker. The fact that you'll do it, continue to do whatever it is you were doing, then run back and give another hug or kiss and back again. You'll do it 3 or 4 times in a row. Gets us every time.

-You take this plastic round looking toy thing and wear it as a hat. You love that hat
Exhibit A

-You take mommy's hair brush from underneath the bathroom sink and brush out your curls making you look like the cutest mad scientist Ive ever seen!

-You take anything thats round and has a hole and wear it as a bracelet. I mean anything. But hey Im all for freedom of creative expression.

-You're entering into the 'terrible two's", we see reminisces of it now. You throw mini tantrums when you're frustrated or don't get your way. Although they only last a couple of seconds and it doesn't take much to calm you down, you definitely have identified that you are your own person and want to make sure you express that whenever you see fit.

-You enjoy playing hide and seek.  You run to your favorite (and very visible) corners of the house, kneel down, close your eyes and "hide".  You must think since you can not see me I can not see you. Hilarious

-You understand English, Spanish, and Macedonian but tend to understand Spanish the most. Some of your favorite words are:

Apple
Nana-Banana
Mama
Col-Cold
Ha-Hot
Ca-Car
Bobo-Pacifier in Spanish
Moo
Woof woof
Cooca-Cookie
Cacoo-Cock-a-doodle-doo
Caca-this one is self explanatory

-Speaking of caca. Anything that is wrong in the world to you is caca. Aside from the obvious dirty diaper, food that happens to fall on the floor is caca, a cut scratch or bruise is caca, a door left open

caca, a blemish on my face...yep caca

-Of all your favorite words mama has got to still be your favorite. You call out mama, in an adorable little European accent, about 1000 times a day and 1000 times a day you melt my heart into itty bities...

-My neat freak tendencies must have rubbed off on you as you enjoy running around the house closing all the doors left open. You don't hesitate to wipe up a mess on the floor or your high chair with a paper towel. And you thoroughly enjoy playing with the mop. Hey Im all for that ;)

-As predicted your eating habits have changed a bit as you've entered toddlerhood. Don't get me wrong though you still love to eat!

Some of your favorite foods include:

Apples
Bananas
Kiwi
Watermelon
Blueberries
Bread (you LOVE bread)
Rice
Sweet peas
Zucchini
Cheerios
Puffs
Mozzarella String Cheese
Milk (you have a bottle every morning when you wake up and every night before bedtime...note to self have to start substituting those bottles of milk with your zippy cups)
Fresh squeezed orange and pineapple juice your daddy makes for you in the juicer. Yumm

-You recognize all sorts of things in your books and point them out like an apple, blueberries, a basketball, a gorilla, a dog, a nose, mouth and eyes. Such a smart kid, you make us proud :)

-You mimic everything we do naturally making us extra cautious with what we do and say around you which makes us better people all around.

To sum it up my son, you have brought more joy than you can imagine to not only your dad and I but to everyone's lives you touch. With every passing day we fall more and more in love with you. Every kiss every hug every moment both touching and trying is a reflection of who are now, the little boy you will become and the young man you will one day be. Thank you for all the many days of laughter and joy and to many more days with you...

Image 1 and 2