I want to capture this moment in time and celebrate thirteen things I love about being the mom of one very awesome boy.
1. He loves to play ball. There isn’t a day that I can keep him off the “field”. Not only does he have fun playing, he came to watch Markus' game, get some fresh air and even helped him develop a skill or two on Wednesday.
2. If you can dream it, he can build it. From Legos to trains to forts to fridge boxes turned into space ships, Max loves to create. Max will sit with Markus —literally—for hours, always patiently helping him build and imagine things. Or he will go outside and play for hours on end, just Max and his little brother.
3. Max loves a good laugh. I’m big on manners, but I’m also big on having fun. So each meal our table becomes the stage for my boy to tell silly stories and make the family giggle. He laughed today sharing Hayden and Cole's eighth grade graduation party with them at Airborne.
4. Before you know it, the sweetest hug can have you flat on your back. This boy does everything with gusto and it’s hard not to get caught up in his enthusiasm.
5. Each day provides an opportunity to take a leap. And these days that leap is off a bed, the stairs or a trampoline. But I love watching him fly into the air without a care in the world. My heart drops a bit when I realize the risk he's taking, but as the wind blows through his spiky hair and his face lights up, I can’t help but hope this fearlessness is something he carries with him through life.
6. Physical confidence is a gift. It seems Max was born to throw a ball, glide on a long board and climb mountains (well, playgrounds at least). His awareness of his body and pure strength is a quality I really admire.
7. A noisy house is a sign of happiness. My boys are usually loud. Really loud. It’s just the way they talk, play, laugh, sleep…you name it. The past few weeks have been really quiet, but most the time I love their joy for life.
8. Worms, spiders and mud are to be loved. Before I had boys, I either overlooked or hated many of nature’s simple wonders. Now I know that worms can dance. I see beauty in the symmetry of a spider web. And I’ve seen that a shovel and a little dirt can provide hours of (messy) entertainment.
9. Riding his new long board that he bought with his birthday money from his grandparents and aunts and cousins, calls for a celebration. Same goes for a bike, a scooter, a rip stick—or any other vehicle with wheels. It’s just the little things, not the really big ones, that can turn his good day into a great one.
10. There’s nothing wrong with a mama’s boy. While Max adores his dad and would choose him 7 times out of 10 when it comes to the fun stuff, I’m the one he turns to for comfort and hugs.
11. Max's perpetual smile
12. His playful personality
13. And from his first birthday to his thirteenth I have loved being his mom, every second. He has made it easy and a joy.
