April 6, 2018

Happy 1st Birthday, August!

To My Baby Boy On Your First Birthday 

My baby boy. I dreamt of you ever since I was a young girl, and now I get to wake up to the sweetest dream everyday.

I dreamt of you, but still, after Scarlett it was suddenly hard to imagine a boy. And then you came—quickly, gently, sweetly (just like you)—and you were my baby boy, the one I always knew I would have. But it was better than I had pictured, dreamed, imagined. While pregnant, I would see all these wild boys and sort of brace myself for what was to come. But you are not wild, but gentle and sweet.

One of my absolute favorite moments in life was the moment during your birth when I felt your fuzzy little head for the first time —and now my favorite moments everyday are kissing that same fuzzy little head.

You bring so much fun into Scarlett’s life, and she loves “her baby” with all of her heart. Yes, she constantly takes toys away from you, shuts the door in your face, and doesn’t like sharing mama/dada with you a lot of the time, but she loves you more than she loves Bear (which is a lot). No one can make you laugh like your sissy and the way your eyes light up when you see her shows that the feeling is entirely mutual.

You slept in Mama and Dada’s room until you were 11 months old because we loved having you near us and mama loved waking up to your little round face and gummy smile every morning.

I hope you never grow out of your baby chub so that Mama can snuggle and kiss your soft, rolly neck and shoulders always and blow raspberries on your round little tummy.

Your chubby little baby hands are my favorite—so many dimples and creases—and while you have started using them to club sissy every now and then, you’ve always reached out so gently for faces as if wanting to memorize that person by touch, even kind strangers who take an interest in you. I think you will be someone who looks for the best in people, who really LOOKS at them and sees what is good.

You are easygoing and go with the flow, and I pray that you are able to always keep that peacefulness about you.

You are adorably shy at times, turning your head away and burying your head playfully.

You are such a cuddle bear and you will actually sit still for a bit to snuggle with mama—something sissy grew out of pretty fast as a baby. I hope you will always slow down a bit in your busy, exciting world to just cuddle with your Mama, even if just for a few moments.

You have lived in three different places already in your first year, soon to be four. All three places hold wonderful memories: bringing you home and spending your early newborn days in our Saybrook Falls house; enjoying the sunshine out on the deck during the day and walking you around the kitchen island at grandma and poppy’s house during your evening fussiness while singing “Beautiful Boy”; visiting every local St. Charles park where you went on your first swing and slide.

We’ve had some not so fun things happen in our family the past year, but you and your sister have been a bright, bright ray of sunshine when all seemed dull and gray.

Your gummy smile sprinkled with a tooth (or four) is such a beautiful sight and luckily you’re very generous with your smiles.

You are already so independent and can play and play and entertain yourself when somebunny needs mama’s attention:) You love toys and you love to explore everything and see what it does/sounds like/tastes like;)

You have loved looking out the window at the world outside ever since you were tiny—you notice and appreciate nature. I hope you always take the time to see and wonder at the beauty of our world.

You get excited to see your family—lifting your head and looking all over when you hear sissy’s voice and then giving her the biggest smile when she appears; stopping what you’re doing for a few moments to crawl across the room and into mama’s lap for a quick snuggle before crawling off again to the next adventure; giggling and sprint-crawling to the door when you hear dada get home from work.

You are our Goomy, Goomici, Baybuh, Screamy Creamy, Little Rookie, Doughman, Chuuba, our sweetest Baby Boy.

And boy, we love you so.

Love,

Mama