Last night,
you remembered what you wore
on your first day of kindergarten.
That memory
tugged a quiet string in me
I had forgotten the shirt I made you,
customized with love
to mark a beginning.
But you didn’t forget.

As we laid out your clothes
for another first day,
you reminded me
softly, sweetly
that this year,
you would ride the bus.
That you'd sleep in your own bed.
Two milestones,
no resistance,
just quiet courage.

You are growing
not just taller,
but braver,
more yourself.

Today,
you chose your style.
You did your own hair
with only a little help.
You woke before the alarm,
dressed,
and stood
already becoming.

I feel time slipping
through the spaces between us
your childhood
like sand I cannot hold
but still, I watch,
in awe.

You still carry
your button nose,
your dimpled smile,
the magic that made me a mother.

And I love you.
All of you.
The boy you’ve been,
the one you are,
and the greatness
you’re shining into.

Te amo,
Tu Mama