For Jackson, this past year has been filled with changes. Between his 4th and 5th birthday, Jack's mom (and best friend) went back to work. Jack started preschool and then just under a year later, kindergarten. That's a lot. I also did not expect such huge developmental leaps between the 4th and 5th birthday. Jack learned so much. Not only writing and math skills, but his vocabulary and speaking ability soared in the course of a year. He also gained so much confidence in his interactions with others. He continually surprised me. And, don't get me started on the growth spurts of the past year. He is getting so tall! He looks like a little boy, not a baby. I am so proud of him.
I want him to know that although my going back to work was absolutely the right thing for our family, that doesn't mean I wouldn't have preferred to be home with him until he went away to college. I loved every second as a stay at home mom and miss it every day. Spending days with this sweet spirit will always be a special memory for me. I am a little sad that he doesn't remember a lot of it and that breaks my heart, but I do know that the time I spent with him influenced our relationship for the better. It is the reason he and I are so unbelievably close. It is the reason I am his favorite parent. (Although Jack denies it, both Stuart and I know it is true.) It is the reason he still tells his friends that his mom is his best friend. I miss him every second that I am away from him, I know that the most important job I will ever have will be raising this precious boy.
