Nine!!

I want time to slow down, you are growing up so very fast.
I remember the day I had you and how scared I was for you and how hard so many people prayed for you.
I remember waiting 7 days before I could touch your skin through the little hole in the NICU bed.
I remember the pure joy of the day we got to bring you home, the first of many times you would beat the odds given to you by medical doctors.
I remember that we use to sign language I love you to each other but you loved to be a little stinker and instead of saying I love you and pointing to me you would point to the chair and then laugh and laugh. Yes you started out young giving Mom a hard time.
You will probably never know how many times I have to turn my head and bite the inside of my jaw so I don't laugh out loud at you (because it shouldn't be funny but it usually is so funny). You make me laugh, your dimpled smile makes my day brighter.
I admire your strength, you are so strong and you face problems that would bring adults to their knees, but not you. Of course you will face just about anything if a prize is offered at the end!
You are my boy and I love you so much! To the moon and back and back and back...