*whispers* Love

rebel rebel, originally uploaded by toyfoto.

Dear Silas,

You know we love you, right?

You know that when your father is stumbling around the bedroom in the pitch dark of early morning (looking for clean boxers) the piercing shriek of "DA-DA-DA-DA-DA!!!" coming from the warm bed he just left just melts his heart.

I suppose I could be a little miffed. You often refuse to go back to sleep afterward. And I imagine if you had the use of more than a few words and a steady stream of LOUD babble sounds you'd be extolling the virtues of your father to anyone who'd listen.

I don't feel betrayed.

I don't even take offense that it was once me who was the sole recipient of your immature love; that your first word was mamamamamamama! And now you've figured out that Dad is "DADA" and I've been demoted to "DUM."

I'm not bitter.

You know that we all love your feisty ways.

Even your sister, the one for whom you now vie for our affection against, isn't immune to your persuasive charms.

Oh sure, she picks you up around the middle and hauls you away from the electronic equipment you are intent on reprogramming with the bashing of your little fists. But she smiles when she deposits you at my feet; complaining that you are "wrecking everything."

Just know that when we take away the pencils and the pens and the toys with small parts; when we remove the dog's water bowl or change your soggy diaper, it's not to make you unhappy. We don't enjoy torturing you.

We want you to have a long and wonderful life -- with both of your eyes (especially that squinty one).

Love and quiet whispers,

Mama (aka Dum)