Dear August,
Today we celebrate 3 years of you! Three whole marvelous years of silly faces, superhero poses, and the BEST bear hugs.
When we found out you were going to make our family of three into four, I was already more than I was before. A new mother again in a whole new way…but could I love another baby just as much? In the very instant that you arrived, you taught me that love doesn’t divide—it multiplies, by two…and then some. You have a space in my heart that’s all your own (and it’s a big one) filled with “shouldie” kisses, tickles, early morning cuddles, and just the sweetest love.
I also wondered before your arrival if I would know how to love a baby boy as well as a baby girl. Aren’t boys just all rough and tumble and muddy hands? While you love to scrap with your sister, and your face is often smeared with berries and dirt, knees scraped, and that sweaty, wind-blown smell of boyhood…you are honest to god the most precious boy who ever lived. Your sweet little face—that tiny button nose!—needs approximately 250 kisses each day (how could it not?). You still have plenty of that delicious baby chub, and I’ll sure miss that round tummy and those plump cheekies when they’ve gone. Your little voice telling me all the big important things on your mind, and singing your very own lyrics to favorite songs, reminds me of your sweet innocence and my heart explodes every moment for the cuteness that is you. Dada jokes that Scarlett tries to corrupt you (and sometimes succeeds), but I have known since you were brand new that at your core you are GOOD. Not just sweet and cute, but genuine, caring, and pure—traits often seen in young children, but with you I know it goes deeper.
We are best friends and I hope you’ll always need me as much as I need you. You are an extension of me—my heart somehow lives separate from my body. I hope your need to always be close to me (those breaks you take during play to come give me a cuddle and the frequent reminders of “I love Mama!”) are still a necessity when you’re grown.
Happiest third birthday, baby boy. My God, I’m so glad you’re mine.
Love,
Mama
