Dear Benjamin,

You're 13 months old today!

You're still working at walking. You can walk. Short distances. One to eight steps, max. But you can't walk-walk, yet. I am trying not to be concerned. William and Lizzie walked early (between eight and ten months), so naturally I assumed you'd be walking within that same period, but that's what Mom gets for assuming. You obviously have your own schedule that has nothing to do with your brother's or sister's, and I simply need to learn to accept it. I'm working on acceptance. You're working on walking. I'm guessing that we'll each find ourselves wondering what all the hoopla was about soon enough.

I don't think I told you last time all the funny and wonderful things you've been doing between your 11th month and now, so I'll do so now: You love lights. Love them. You love to stare at them. To turn them. Turn them off. Turn them off and on and off and on. You simply adore lights. Lamps. Ceiling lights. Yard lights. Decorative lights. Doesn't matter to you. If it glows, you like it. I'm not sure if this means anything at all, but I have to wonder if you're going to grow up to be an electrician, or maybe a roadie. Are pyrotechnics in your future? I can't wait to find out! In the meantime, everytime you turn on or off a light in the house, the grin you grin could rival the power of the Hoover Dam. I love watching you.

You also love vroom-vrooms. Cars, trains, tractors, planes. Anything that might potentially make a "vroom-vroom" sound is great to you. You love to "vroom-vroom" your toy vehicles around the house. And you especially like to ride in the Radio Flyer car we bought you for your birthday. Oh, and Papa took you to the airport one day while I was at work so that you could watch the planes take off. As I understand it, you laughed heartily when the planes ascended into the sky. While I may never appreciate the male fascination with all things fast and furious, I do understand that this is the way it works sometimes and that you, my boy, have such a fascination and I thoroughly enjoy seeing you enjoy all your vroom-vrooms.

Well, it's late and I'm sleepy, so I'm going to wrap this up for now. I'd love to be able to find the time to tell you what's going on with you on a daily basis. I think about doing so often...only life gets in the way. You keep me busy. Work keeps me busy. Your sister and brother keep me busy. I'll try to do better.

In the meantime, please know that I'm having the time of my life watching you grow. You fascinate me. I love you completely.

Yours forever!
Mommy