Dear Birthday Boy
With our daughter, I started a tradition of writing a letter to her on every birthday. Had to carry on the tradition for Welles first! Dear Welles,
Meeting you for the first time was like falling in love all over again. Sometimes when I tell your story, I dwell on the on hard emotions that flooded me in those first few days. The truth is, those emotions could never compare to the love I felt when they first handed you to me. Even when they told me you weren't going to be the child we were expecting, my heart felt like it could burst with love. Each day I feel like there is no way I could love you more than the last, and then I do...
On a daily basis I am told what a good baby you are by friends, family and strangers. It only takes a few minutes of being around you to feel your calm and content nature. Your smile is contagious! You have the ability to brighten days with just one look. I watch faces change when people see you in the grocery store. Your joy is overwhelming! When I stumble in for your second feeding at 3am, I can't even be upset because you are grinning ear to ear while waiting for me. You are ALWAYS happy! I really don't think there is a happier baby out there. The only time you fuss is when you're exhausted out or hungry. You melt my heart regularly. When you grab my cheeks and open mouth head-but me for a kiss, I feel myself turning into a pile of mush!
Your sister can't get enough of you. She asks for you first thing every morning. Her "brudder" is her "bes frien". She loves to steal your toys and then immediately feels guilty and brings them back, plus something new! When you're napping, she loves to go in and check on you... AKA, wake you up. Your sister is ever so protective and always concerned about you. Just yesterday in Costco she literally started crying when I tried to give you a spoon full of pureed soup, "Mom, don't give him that. He will choke! Only milk and baby food!" We hit the jackpot on a big sister for ya. No one is going to mess with her brudder!
Your daddy loves you with his whole heart. It took him one day to adjust to the new path you have for us and then he wouldn't stop talking about how we'll get to have you at home forever! He often talks about that. A couple months ago we watched an older couple eating out with their DS son. He must have been in his 30's. Your daddy looked at me and said "How lucky are we? That's going to be us." He wants you around all the time. You're his little buddy. And he's excited to keep in our home forever!
You've changed our little family for the better. Thank you for all the lessons you've taught us. We look forward to the years ahead of learning so many more!
Happy birthday sweet Welles. You are so very LOVED!
