Dear sweet baby boy,
Tonight I laid you down a baby and tomorrow you will wake up a one-year-old. I want to celebrate you in every possible way. You are a joy, a delight, and God's precious gift to me. Oh, how I wanted you. How I hoped and prayed that God would bless us with another healthy pregnancy, another baby. And every day I look at you and think "You were so worth wanting." Sometimes we want something so badly, yet when we get it we are still discontent. But with you, my son, my joy is overflowing; I am spilling with thankfulness, in awe of your miraculous life. It's been an entire year of reveling, pondering, rejoicing over you...and I still can't get over God's goodness by giving you to us.
We brought you home from the hospital late on a Wednesday night, the day after you were born. For the next week or so, I mostly just laid in bed with you on my chest, skin to skin, soaking in your smell, your wonderfulness. I will never forget those moments, the love I had for your daddy for giving me that time, and the way I knew I would love you forever.
Tonight I kissed your neck and you threw your head back and laughed. Your smile is so big it sometimes is not even a smile anymore -- it's just a gigantic "O" that covers your whole face. You are so in love with life, with the world, with your brothers and sister, with the day-old cheerio you find tucked under the couch. Everything to you is wondrous, and your joy is downright contagious.
You are hands-down the happiest baby I've ever seen. And it's not because I'm such a great mom (although you are pretty lucky to have me), rather that's just how God made you. With a passion, a zest, an excitement - even a sense of humor - that is already the hallmark of your life. How will you use this, my son, for God's glory as you grow? What does He have in store for you? I can't wait to see!
God has allowed you to stay my baby for a little longer than I expected. Your just now starting to move around, to get into things, as you master your funny little bottom scoot. Your two lower front teeth just finally showed their pearly tips a couple weeks ago. You're still deliciously chubby and love to nurse....you've only recently discovered the joy of "real" food.
I've loved every minute of your babyhood, Elijah Holbrook Plumb, and I've dug my heals in trying to slow it down. But I know from experience, from watching your big brother and sister, that it just keeps getting better. So while I'm sad to see this year end, I embrace what is to come. And rejoice over one more day, perhaps one more year, maybe even an entire lifetime with you. What a gift!
Happy 1st birthday, my beautiful son!
3 comments:
What a beautiful letter! He is going to treasure this when he's older :)
Well said sweet Bethany. He is blessed to have you for his Mommy (and the K-man for his Daddy!) Oh well, let's include how blessed he is to have big bro and big sis, too. Grandma, grandpa, cousins, aunts, uncles. HE IS JUST ONE BIG BLESSED BABY BOY -- SOON TO BE A TODDLER. Happy 1st. b.day dear cousin of mine!
that was the most amazing thing i've ever read. makes me want another one. :-)
rachel b.
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