There's this change happening with you.

Really slowly, but also really fast.

It's beautiful to watch but hella' scary too.

To see you grow up.

To see you pull away.

To use every last bit of my willpower NOT to pull you back into my arms,

plop your almost bigger than me body on my lap,

and rock you and sing to you.

There's this change happening with you.

And, because of it, change is required of me.

To loosen the reigns.

To let you lead.

To follow, of course, but at a respectful distance.

Many days of the past ten years have gone by real, real slow.

But the ten years you've graced

this planet,

our home,

and your father and I with your presence

has gone by incredibly fast,

and to think...

I've only got eight more.

Until you're an official adult.

Until you fly the coup and land at a college campus somewhere.

It's crazy to think that a person has baby, raises that baby until the baby is no longer a baby but still always your baby, and then, BOOM,

there's this grown person,

who's incredible,

who's going to change the world.

I don't know if I'm ready for this, but, at the same time, I am ready for this

...as ready as I'll ever be, I guess.