Dear Son:

I knew the day would come where I'd have to sit down and write to you a similar letter but you're ONLY 9 years old for cryin' out loud so I hardly expected it to be this soon.

I've been trying my best downplay the signs: You know, your no longer looking forward to my walking you all the way into the school yard, your being insistent that we exchange those mother/son hugs before we leave the crib or at least, when we're blocks away from school grounds and more recently, the way you walk so far ahead of me on those days when I DO walk you HALFWAY but...it's been REALLY hard.

You're my baby and my first born son TEARS...

I know I can't hold you back FOREVER but can we PLEASE wait until you're in the HIGH double digits before you start getting girl fever???

Ah...Ah...Ah...There's no need to deny it!

Even though I didn't hear it from you directly, I know you've been crushing on that cute little spanish girl in your class since last year and though I'm complaining, I'm secretly beaming with pride that you have such great taste. Not to mention, I pay closer attention than I lead on and I've heard you tell your older cousin (on more than one occasion) that you're sure the other little girl who is always chasing after you when you're in the yard during lunch likes you a whole lot.

I didn't tell you last night...I couldn't because I thought it was sooooooo cute to see you lifting that little dumbbell while you admired your "muscles" in a nearby mirror but when you pleaded with me this morning to bring you home a bottle of cologne because "you wanted to smell nice at school" it hit me like a ton of damn bricks that I am sooooooo not ready for this.

So yeah...please calm your lil' @ss down and be a child for as long as you can be.

**Trust me son, those little girls will get you in some BIIIIIIIIGGGGG trouble!!**

Love Always


Your CLEARLY overly paranoid Mommy