Gone

As I sit here tonight, I am in awe of this little boy standing in front of me.  I watch as he runs around the room, slows to catch his balance, and takes off again.  He goes after a toy, plays for a few minutes, then drops it on the floor.  He walks to the rocking chair and climbs up.  He stands in the chair and looks, waiting for me to tell him to sit down on his "butt" (one of his favorite words).  He slides down and gives me a grin.  Then off he goes again to grab the next toy that has caught his attention.  He walks over to me and lays his head on my knee, then raises his arms up for me to pick him up and hug him.  He snuggles up in my lap and sits with me, enjoying my company for a moment.  Then he is off again to find his next source of entertainment.  Never have I been more proud of anything in my life.  My heart swells as I think about how much he has grown up in the last 13 months.  I realize, with sadness, that my baby is gone.