Dear Reece,


I wonder when I should stop doing monthly updates for you? When do we stop counting your age in months and instead count in years, or half-years? For now we'll keep doing the monthly thing since you are such a little sponge and are learning so much each month. It really is mind-boggling how much you have changed, grown, and learned in the last few months.

Today a co-worker was talking to me about her daughter, who is going to have a newborn soon. The thing she is most worried about are the sleepless nights you have as a new mom for a couple of months. To tell you the truth, I don't even remember those days! I watch you run around and talk and play and realize how quickly you are growing into a little boy.

I mean, you'll always be my baby. That, I can claim forever! To the world you look like a little boy, though! You are tall for your age, over the 100th percentile in height. You weigh almost 23 lbs (soaking wet!) and wear a size 5 shoe. You are long and skinny like your daddy, and spunky yet independent like your mommy. You love to dance and love music. You love to play trucks and push your stroller and wagon around the yard. Now that the weather has warmed up your obsession with everything wet is surely showing! We have become regulars at the jetty and the fountains.

In the past month you have gotten to visit a lot of people! Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa Brink watched as you waded in the Gulf and swam in their (heated) pool! Grandma and Grandpa Davis listened as you told them you wanted "more snack snack" and "cheese please". Aunt Carla and your cousin Federica sang "Wheels on the Bus" with you. Aunt Rhea got a real kiss on the lips...those are rare! You are surrounded by people who love you everyday, Reece. You have no idea how much you are loved!

As I was going through photos of you this month I realized I should back all of my photos of you up on a DVD. Do you realize I took over 9,000 photos of you in your first year?! This month I've taken a ton, too. This month we've done special things like go to Sea World and you even got your first haircut. Someday you'll look back on all these photos and you'll realize that I'm not crazy...I'm just crazy about you!

You have started to become such a chatterbox! At last count you could say 40+ words. WOW! You say something new everyday and your enunciation is pretty clear. When you say truck it sounds like "duck", and your drawn-out "bye-biiiiiyyyyyeeeee" is so adorable. You have even started to put some two-word phrases together, like "bye bye squirrel" and "hi dog dog". You amaze me just a little more each day. You know the rules around here, too! You point to the edge of the driveway and say "no no" and when you're sitting on the counter listening to music you point at the toaster and say "no no hot". I'm sure I'll appreciate these days of you complying when you're in your terrible two's!

Reece, with your smile, your giggle, and your silly antics you have me wrapped around your little finger! I love you from your nose (kiss) down to your toes (kiss) and more than all the fishes in the sea. You are loved, baby boy, more than you know!

Love,

Mommy