Dear Cameron

Now that you are 10 you are a real, big kid.  As much as you yearn to be older so that you can watch PG-13 movies and have more freedom, I yearn for you to stay little and forever be my baby.  I'm so thankful that you were my first.  You were such a good baby and toddler, you slept well and played with those Thomas trains in the basement for hours without making a peep.  You eased me into my role as Mom and I won't forget that.  You are my soft one.  You are compassionate and gentle and you really feel things with your heart.  Last week at Pop Pop's funeral you sat beside me and held my hand.  When my tears came you whispered for me to squeeze as hard as I needed to and you kept looking up at me, reassuringly to tell me it would be ok.  I want to remember that forever.  A few weeks ago I dropped some ice on the floor in the kitchen and asked you to pick it up.  Moments later I turned to see your eyes flooded with tears because Aspen would always eat the ice that fell on the floor and you missed her desperately.  Now that you are in fourth grade, school has gotten tough.  Sometimes this means a couple hours of homework at night and I hate it just as much as you do.  As much as I want you to learn, I just want you to be mine when you come home and I hate hounding you to get it done.   I am thankful that you did not inherit my weakness in math, in fact it is because of your gift with numbers that you made it into the gifted Signet program at school and I am terribly proud of that.  I am glad that for one day a week you can go to your special class and let go of the regular pressures of school and let your mind take you where it may, exploring whatever interesting subjects appeal to you.  You still love legos and video games,and you are masterful at the piano.  I love to hear you practice and can't wait for you to realize your potential with music.  You have such a strategic mind that lends you towards games like chess, Battleship and Monopoly and have become a real opponent, I don't have to let you win anymore.  How lucky I am to be your mother. I cherish the nights that I can read you Harry Potter and sit and chat with you about your day.  I hope that you will always confide in me and trust me with your problems and concerns.  I am here for you always, and know you always come first.  I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living, my baby you'll be.