eighteen months.

he came to us so quickly, so easily, as though this whole thing was his idea. our growing season passed with rhythm and tranquility and peace. even then, deep in the heavens of my belly, his bright, eager spirit was evident to us. february felt too far for our january king. he was wide-eyed and interested from the very first. he could not wait to get here. he could not wait to be part of it all. and every hour since, his happy spirit has twinkled with fierce enjoyment of life.

eighteen months is golden curls and velvet eyes, merry mischief and airplane, alpaca, water, roses, moon...! he dances more than he steps and delights in rain boots and bubble baths, babies and wheels and rocking on his horse, gobbling summer corn and helping mama with the flowers and singing (in coffeeshops and grocery stores, down sidewalks) so big that even the stars can hear him. (he delights in all things.) i study his movements and expressions in footage from our earliest days and i marvel: there he is. that's him. our francis, our bright star, our funny, sunny, love of a boy, just exactly who he is (ever becoming), right from the very start.