Atticus Elah Courage

In Honor of Mother's Day Part 2...My firstborn Son.  Atticus Elah Courage

In some ways I can see parts of myself in him.  He is very determined.  He has an incredible memory. His blond hair and blue eyes remind me of my baby pictures.  He is rarely as content as when his family is together in one place.

So much of my son reminds me of his Daddy.  He has a lightening fast temper…but once he is mad he is over it almost as quickly.  He is spontaneously affectionate.  He rarely sits still.  He is a risk taker and a boy’s boy.  His passion, like his Daddy’s, will always be his great strength.

But mostly he is 100% Atticus.  Courageous and carefree.  Advanced and articulate.  Ornery and Obstinate.  Energetic and Humorous.  He has a hard time settling, is constantly on the move and gets bored easily.  He cares for others and thrives on togetherness.  Although he is all boy he is openly affectionate.  Once he decides he wants to do something good luck stopping him.  He loves to run, play with balls, read books and growl like a dinosaur.  He loves wrestling with Daddy, tackling his sister and snuggling with Mommy.  He laughs easily and deeply.

Being Mommy to Atticus is often exhausting but also rewarding.  He requires a lot of discipline and guidelines as he is a curious and energetic boy.  He often prefers to see if I’m serious then to just trust that I know best.  He is tough but has a tenderheart. He is very intelligent and amazes us all with how quickly he learns. He loves family. He adores his Big sister and they are inseparable friends.  He likes to be with Mommy all the time and gets overjoyed when Daddy comes home from work. He loves to figure out how things work and can run faster than I can walk.

He is a joy.  His laughter is contagious and his strength is enviable.  The incredible balance he has between his determination and his carefree nature will take him far in life.  Parenting him requires lots of energy and stick-to-it-ed-ness on my part but I love how deep my relationship with him already is.  I want to to cultivate in him the ability to control his temper, love affectionately, and enjoy finishing what he starts.  As a young boy, adolescent and man I want him to be able to be energetic and exuberant and yet know the time and place to be silent and rest. I want him to value his heart and the heart of women, starting with his mommy and sisters.  He already has such a head start.

His full name means strong and courageous defender of the innocent.  My deepest desire is that he will always lives up to his name.

Because his is my son.  A joyous strength.