Happy Second Birthday, Poki!

(A message from Mom).

Last year, when it was time to write your birthday message, I cried all the way through. In fact, I think I cried for the entire week of your birthday. I just couldn’t believe that my tiny baby was already a year. It felt like time flew by. Man, I had no idea. This year has gone by in a blink. I cannot believe I am here again, writing a birthday post. It literally seems like yesterday. And I’m emotional today too—but in a very different way. I don’t want to cry. I’ve even felt guilty for not getting all sappy about this birthday...but then I came to a realization. For the last week I’ve been racking my brain trying to come up with the right song for your “year in photos.” Should I choose a beautiful love song, like Nick Drake’s Northern Sky? Maybe a testament of youth and wishes for your future, like Bob Dylan’s Forever Young? Without a decision, I started putting pictures together from your second year...and I couldn’t stop laughing. Each photo reminded me of something brand new you’d discovered or a funny thing you said or did, and I realized that I’m not crying because you’ve kept me laughing all year! Just as the song I chose in the end says, “all the rest are fun days—from now on until the very end.” Every day with you gets better and better...and more and more challenging...but mostly better.

Don’t get me wrong—I miss my tiny baby every day. I miss your kicks in my belly, I miss nursing you, rocking you, just staring at you in my arms all day. But I enjoy watching who you are becoming even more. I wouldn’t trade my hilarious little man for any of it.

My God, I love you, Poki. I just had no idea life could be this good.

Happy Birthday.