Dear William (on a very cold winter's day)

Dear Little One,

You're really not so little any more. You'll be 14 months old in a few days (WHAT?!). Let's ignore that fact for a moment, and talk about some of the things that 2011 will bring for you.

I should have made this post on the 1st, but oh, well.

I was reminded of a poem I love today. I haven't thought of it in years. It seems perfect for the New Year. It's called The Summer Day by Mary Oliver, and the last lines are:

Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?

I'm not feeling up to tackling everything I want to do with my life today (ha!), but this got me thinking about what I'd like to do this year. Of course, it revolves around you. The first thing that came to mind as I daydreamed stemmed, I am guessing, directly from The Summer Day.

I want to take you to the beach for the first time. The beach means a lot to me - my family vacations with your Grandpa and Nanna, Uncles Andrew and David, are some of the very best memories I have of my childhood.

I want to see your face when you toddle over a sand dune for the first time and see the big, wide ocean.

I want to watch you run across the sand and stick your little toes in the cool water.

I want to see you with a good old-fashioned plastic bucket and shovel, playing in a warm tide pool.

I want to see you hold an ice cream cone as it melts down your hand and arm.

I can't wait.

Of course there are a million other little wishes like this, but for today, that's my daydream!

I love you so much,

Mommy