Two Years of Charlie

Two years ago today, Charlie Martel Ritchie was born.

He was this tiny little thing, with a little bird mouth and tightly shut eyes to shield the bright lights of life. I held him in my arms, not moments but hours after his birth. It was an emergency c-section, and I was put under anesthesia so I don't remember any of it. But once I held him and we looked at each other for the first time, I knew he was mine, and he knew I was his.

Now, just 24 months later, he's grown into this person, with likes and dislikes, with hair - lots of it, with an intellect that continuously amazes us every single day. He loves numbers and music and will color for hours. He reads his books, either by himself or with me, and knows when to turn the pages or when I've missed a line. He jumps and runs and spins and hops. He laughs all day long. He's happy. He knows he is loved.

Happy Birthday, Charlie. Thanks for joining our family. You've made us happier than we ever imagined we could be.