75. He even manages to look breathtakingly adorable when he has just woken up and is all rumpled.

76. He’s just so easygoing and low-maintenance.

77. He has a thousand different smiles and laughs, and few things are as rewarding as being responsible for eliciting such responses from him.

78. We bring out the best in each other.

79. He has known how to tie a tie for years.

Your son sounds like the raddest child in the world! My fiance and I aren’t ever planning to have children of our own but, MAN, if I knew I’d wind up with a son like yours, I’d soooooo have to reconsider my stance on becoming a mother. You must have a ton of fun with him, and it sounds like he’s so very lucky to have a parent who encourages him to be himself.

Anyway. I made that belt quite a few years ago now, so I’d have to dig up the progress pictures to really remember how I did it. But! I DO recall the belt being a fairly simple and quick project (the longest part was putting all the studs on, since that just dragged on FOREVER and I kept poking my fingers with the pointy clasps). I didn’t use any instructions: I just took apart an old belt (which also supplied the metal belt parts and studs) to figure out how the whole thing goes together.

I’ll tell you what, though: Drop me an e-mail (crisis.with.a.backbeat@gmail.com) and I’ll try to walk you through the construction process. Again, it IS a very easy thing to make, but I’d be more than happy to help in any way I can.

Thanks so, so much for your wonderful comment. You (and your son!) have totally made my day. <3 <3

67. He has met some of my extended family and not only talked to them for hours, but also got along so well one would think they were all old friends.

68. He still asks me to marry him and says he’s mine forever.

69. He’s let me shave him.

70. We’re at the point where it’s okay to leave the bathroom door open.

71. We both know we can vent about something (usually work or family related) that’s bothering us and know the other one won’t find it silly, and will actually offer to help or come up with advice.

72. We respect each other as journalists and can offer each other legitimate workplace advice.

73. Even a day at work is almost too long to be apart.

74. He doesn’t mind being the one who usually drives (even if it’s partly because my driving scares him).

52. He encourages me to do the things I love.

53. He happily dances with me in front of our friends, even if we’re not the best at hoofing it.

54. He tells me he’s proud of me.

55. We can sit in absolute silence and know exactly what the other is thinking.

56. We can talk about things that engage us both intellectually and get really excited about it.

57. He takes care of me when I’m not feeling well.

58. He knows when to let me be flighty, just as he knows when to bring me back down to earth.

59. We love almost all of the same foods.

60. He watches out for me just as much as I do for him.

61. He, like me, has no problem being silly in public.

62. We really can’t imagine life without an us.

63. Now that our commutes are much shorter, we spend more time snuggling and talking in bed.

64. He has a sense of adventure that’s almost exactly like mine.

65. He lets me treat him to dinner or a date night and doesn’t get all alpha-male on me.

66. He can spend a solid week with my parents and still get along famously with them.

I’m copy editing and designing pages for a paper under the Gannett umbrella, so what’s NOT to love?

The ten-minute commute is a nice bonus, especially after a year and a half of the hourlong commute OF DOOM.