For My Son

1. No matter how you feel, or what you think, I will always love you more than any other given soul in this world. You may think I hate you when I take your games away, or when you are a teenager and you are not allowed to stay out past 11:00 pm, regardless of who all else has a 12:00 am curfew. I just hope that every time I am told the worlds "you just hate me!", you will go in your bedroom and secretly tell yourself "nah, my mom loves me more than anything".

2. It is okay to be sweet. Sweet is ALWAYS better than bitter. Fact: nobody likes anybody that sits around and does nothing but complains all of the time, they like the one's that always tell them please and thank you, and I promise you will make a difference in every girl's life you flash that brilliant smile of yours at, and tell them how nice they look.

3. Good hygiene is a must! Now, and for the rest of your life! It is not okay to play outside in the dirt and mud all day long and assume that because you didn't knowingly throw dirt in your hair, that it is clean, and that it does not smell like a dirty little boy. I'm assuming as you grow older, you will be a little more concerned with how your hair looks anyways, and this theory with dirt will fade away.

4. Good hygiene does not mean you have to look like a cast member of the jersey shore. (refer back to #3) But good hygiene does mean that I expect to see those pearly whites of yours, stay extra pearly white.

5. It is a-okay to pee outside. For that matter, I know for a fact, you will always pee outside, it is not something you will outgrow in life. It's just what men do. (women have learned to accept this). It is choreographed into your DNA before you are ever thought of, making it not your fault you are able to piss over a Volkswagen at age 3, and barely over a stump at age 73.

6. Smart is good! Most teens do not tend to lean toward this statement, but after that long road of teenage hood, you will come to realize one day in your life that you wish you had paid attention and done well in school so that you can have all of those fast, souped up hot rod cars you love so much.

7.  Chocolate milk will be just as good at the age of 27 as it is at the age of 9.

8. Always have your sense of humor on the end of your tongue. There is something about a guy with a sense of humor. Whether it be the guy everyone works with in the office, or the guy that keeps the girls giggling, we all love it. And my dear, it is a trait that comes natural to you therefore I already foretell a few phone calls from the school about you in the future.

9. Stay young forever. As much as I would love to keep you my little boy for all of your life, I know that is not possible and one day, I am going to have to let you 'grow up'. When you 'grow up', all I ask from you is that you keep that inner child within you. Remain young. Find the resilience you have as a child, and have fun. Nobody likes a sour-puss. (refer back to #2)

10. Be creative. Keep drawing, painting, writing, reading & thinking. Push your brain to its up most limits, and run with your thoughts. If you think it, and think it can be done, try it. No matter what age, I will always have my drawer full of your paintings, writings, and drawings, and unfortunately, I will always have them hanging on my refrigerator. I keep everything you make and buy (pick out for me with Nana's help) for me, and always will. Do no be alarmed if I am still wearing the button pin with your picture when you are visiting from college.

11. I pray that this trend is gone by the time you are older, but as it seems now, it will still be in swing full force, but please, and I repeat, please, do not wear your pants hanging at your knees with your ass and god knows what else showing to the world around you. it is not attractive, it does not make you cool, and how do you expect to run if you are being chased by a rabid dog? Something to think about.

12. I hope that you learn one day to not be so much like me and that you become more of a morning person and less of a night owl. Sure getting to sleep in is great, but the older you get, the more you will realize you have done nothing but waste away your day. And one day, you will start feeling guilty for doing so.

13. I expect you to be a good boyfriend and husband. I will never forget the day you asked me what adultery meant after reading it on a sign going down the road. I said to you, "it is when someone cheats while they are married." After thinking for a few moments, you wanted to know if it counted for boyfriends and girlfriends. Not knowing the true answer, I told you, "I'm not really sure but either way you shouldn't cheat on anybody. That is an awful feeling to be cheated on. I've had it done to me before and its just awful..." Your response, "Oh, I know!! I have been cheated on before and it will break your heart!" Keep in mind, you were 8 years old while telling me this. Hopefully, you will always remember the day you found out you were being cheated on at 8 years old, and that feeling will keep you considerate of the future lucky girls in your life.

14. It's okay to go to a party as long as it is a party with streamers, confetti, cakes, candles, treat bags, and balloons. Not with beer, drugs and strippers. And just to play it safe, let me add prostitutes so there are no confusions on what I said could not be there.

15. Oh, and just so you know, all of the times you sat on the couch watching "The Real Housewives of (insert big city name)", those are not true housewives. Your mom is a true housewife.

16. Learn to cook, clean, do laundry, fold clothes, sort clothes, make a bed, do dishes, mow the yard, weed eat, plant flowers, decorate, re-seal a drive way, kill bugs, help animals, save animals, drive, use turn signals, keep your foot on the break, shift gears, wash a car, wax a car, take the trash out, actually remember to take the trash can to the road, decorate, hang a picture straight, align more than one wall decoration straight, level, and even, clean the bath tub, rinse your toothpaste out of the sink, and to make it completely across the monkey bars.

17. Buy your wife pearls. Every girl deserves pearls from her husband.

18. Remain curious. Curiosity means you are thinking. Thinking leads to being curious. Curious leads to asking questions. And asking questions leads to learning more. Always think outside of the box and ask every question that ever comes to mind. According to how you have always been, I feel that this wont be an issue later in life.

19. When you love, love with everything in you.

20. No matter how much you heard me tell you "if you don't bother bee's, they won't bother you" growing up. You will learn, that is not the truth. Not a lie though, just more like an antic to allow you to enjoy the warm summer days to their fullest.

21. Be spontaneous. It helps you to remain young at the heart, gives you a fun loving heart, and makes you feel like a true super hero.

22. Always, always, always, always know that your Uncle D loved you more than anything in this world. He was truly proud of everything you ever accomplished from cooing and saying 'I good' as an itty bitty baby, to rolling over, smiling for the first time, crawling, walking, talking, giggling, drinking from a straw, driving your john deer tractor power wheels around every nook and corner without ever running into anything, the fact that you absolutely loved being around him, and the fact that you were so fascinated in his newest art creations. He bragged about you all of the time, and was so proud to be the male role model in your life. He was ecstatic about you being able to go visit him in CT in the summer of 2010 and that he got to take you to NYC and show you everything you've ever dreamed of. You walked around all day long looking for spider man and kept telling us "i just know he works at the daily bugle" and then, coming out of Toys R Us on Times Square, there he stood, spider man! :) D loved the fact that he was able to experience 11 days with you at Disney World and that he was a part of your first memory of the place that every kid longs to go to. You truly were the light of his life. One thing I ask of you, take the memories you have with him and hold on to them for the rest of your life. Let him continue to be a role model and inspiration in your life and keep in mind, if you walk the right path, you two will be together again. Think about that one!

23. Just because you have been privileged enough to be spoiled rotten, do not always expect to get everything you want, and do not always expect for everything to go exactly as you want. I repeat- do not show your ass and look like a whiner. Repeat- do not act like a whiner.

24. Since you like to ask me every time you eat one, what you used to call a kit-kat when you were little, I just want to add to this, you called them kitty-kats. :)

25. Know that I will always be your mommy. I will kiss your boo-boos for as long as you will allow it. I will lay in bed rubbing your hair, talking about Pokemon for as long as you believe in them. No matter where you are, you are in my mind. And no matter what life brings you, it will be bringing it to me too for I will be at your side forever and always. I will always have your favorite foods on stock, and I will always plan your favorite meals when I know you will be coming home. I will always act as silly as you will allow me to in front and with you, and I will always be here for you no matter what life struggles seem to stumble upon you. And, never forget, as your mom, I am allowed to love you more than myself, and more than anything in this world, and I always will.