Buddy's Top Ten

We delivered Buddy to his next stop yesterday. He was supposed to be here "a couple of weeks or so." He ended up staying five months beyond that. My little friend:

10. Loved the sound of Rice Crispies. He had to put his ear to at least one person's bowl every morning to hear the snap, crackle, and pop!
9. Was a neat freak. Buddy was a great cleaner upper, a tidy-ish for a two year old eater, and hated litter at the park.
8. Wore undies over his diaper for the past month or so. He refused to call them "underwear." "No underwear, D! Undies! MY undies!"
7. Came in a motoric mess. The dude couldn't run or climb stairs. Left able to climb the rock wall at the park and I'm pretty sure I saw him jump from the third step in the living room and land on his feet the other day.
6. Loved driving over Town Lake. "WATER!! MY SIDE!!!!"
5. Had an eagle eye for birds and planes and the moon, especially when we walked D to school each morning.
4. Gobbled most of his food down very quickly. Except sweets. Sweets were savored and eaten incredibly slowly.
3. Associated two words with "church": "Alleluia" and "donut".
2. Called me Mommy unless he was mad at me. Then I was Tammy. "No, Tammy! Stop!"
1.  Was absolutely happiest playing in our playroom, not going anywhere, just playing legos or Magna Tiles with a tutu or princess outfit on.

I spent a lot of the last five months thinking about what Buddy was not: He was not supposed to stay long, he was not at all easy, and sometimes his challenges made him not that fun. But sometimes, and thankfully most of the time recently, I was able to see what he was: He was here for right now. He was growing and changing and learning every day. And he was very fun when I changed the angle of my lens.

We're missing you already, Buddy. Peanut has no playmate, D has no one to talk incessantly to, and I have no shadow.

Love you, Buddy Boy!