Dear Max,

I miss you terribly. I'm trying to get started on my work, but I'm so easily distracted by your beautiful pictures. That little nose! Those bushy eyebrows! It's possible that I love you so much because I can't remember how bad you smell. But of course, I loved you even when I could smell you. It makes me want to cry when Mom tells me that you stare at my photo all the time. Sometimes I wonder if we're staring at each other's photos at the same time.

I'm glad you like the clothes I send you. I'm bringing you a present when I come home, a little blue and yellow polo. The collar is backwards, which is something I wish I'd noticed before I bought it. Before I come home, I'll download "Fergalicious" and put it on a CD so we can dance like we used to. And I'll help you pop it again.

I want to take you for a walk when I get home, but you're so bad on the leash. Of course, now that you've gained a little weight, maybe your collar won't be so loose and I won't have to worry about you slipping out of it. Although Xena gets awfully sad when we go for walks without her.

I miss our play fights. I miss you nuzzling my neck. I miss you falling asleep in my lap. Mostly I miss your face and your warm little body. I promise I'll give you a bath and make you some more of those peanut butter bones when I come home. And maybe a batch of those baby food cookies...I think I've got some beef-flavored stuff in the cupboard. They look like dog shit and smell even worse, but I know how much you love them.

I'll be home in less than a week, baby boy.