Where is the Time Going?

Dear Mekonen,
You are growing up so fast. Lately, when I hold you close and kiss your little cheeks, or when you give me that big huge hug, my heart aches. It's going by too fast. I'm sure this is a normal parenting feeling, but at the same time, I feel like I haven't had enough of you. You were only a baby for so long. I missed out on so much. On 8 months! 8 months. Wow. That's a lot. I feel like I'm still trying to make up lost ground. I find myself grasping for every memory of you, never wanting to let those short "baby days" fade. I remember what your room smelled like the day we came home. I remember how we said you sounded like a little baby dinosaur when you cried or were doing your little grunts. I remember experiencing all those fun firsts, all those first family moments. My heart is sad that they are over. They were too quick. This time has flown by. I have even cried over this. Will it all go by so fast? Slow down buddy. Mommy wants more time. Here are some things you like and are doing now that I want to remember...

• You LOVE cars and airplanes. No matter where we are, no matter what book we are reading, if there are cars, you enthusiastically point them out. Whenever you hear any loud noises outside, you look up to the sky and say, "apple" which is how you say airplane.You often hear the airplanes well before Daddy and me. 
• You LOVE to read books. You are always bringing books to us to be read to. I hope you always do this, even when you know how to read yourself. The one you love right now is "The Storybook Treasury for Boys" and one called "All About Trucks." 
• You LOVE to push things around, especially your large, chunky Tonka trucks. Your favorite thing is to chase Macy your dog around, which we usually have to put an end to quite fast. 
• You LOVE parks and LOVE being outside. Everytime we leave the park, or come in from outside, you get very upset and cry. 
• You are saying so many words and repeat almost every word we prompt you to say. Some of your new regular words are: cracker, cookie, boppy (grandpa), Magz, apple, apple (airplane), Macy, up, dow (down), moe (more), hep (help), cup, Jesu (Jesus), boot (book), buttet (bucket)
• Everytime we get in the car you say "boot! boot!" over and over again. You are asking for the "My First Words Book." It has brightly colored labeled pictures such as cars, animals, people, etc. You can stare at one page for several minutes. I wonder what you are thinking. Usually you turn it to the page with all the cars and airplanes. One time you turned to the page of farm animals and started singing, "E-I-E-I-O!"

• You LOVE to sing. You are such a happy boy and always babbling and singing. Your favorite songs to sing are "Jesus Loves Me," "The B-I-B-L-E," "The Itsy Bitsy Spider," and "Old MacDonald Had A Farm." You can't say most of the words, but you use your own baby language to the tune. It's right on key!
• When we ask you what your name is you say, "Bobby!" You are calling yourself baby but it sounds like Bobby. 
• No matter what adult is around, you take their hand and try to get them to take you outside. Even when it's dark outside. 
• When we say "funny face!" you scrunch up your eyes and smile real funny while making a grunting noise. It's hilarious. 
• You stopped doing sailfish when you suck your thumb (you used to keep all your fingers straight up in the air when you sucked your thumb). Now you do it the regular way with your fingers in a fist. So sad. Sailfish was your trademark! 
• You LOVE to help Mommy around the house, especially putting the laundry in the dryer. 
• You like to count to three with us. You say, "wuh (one), tyou (two)," and then you usually yell real loud for three, but I can't tell what you are saying.
• When we say, "Mekonen, who is God?" You say with much enthusiasm, "Jesus!"