Letter No. 2

It has been far too long since I have written a letter for you. I had the full intention of writing to you often, but I guess life got in the way. You will be 8 months old in 2 days and you have kept your mommy very busy. Let me fill you in a little bit on the last 8 months.

You were born on March 17, 2010 at 12:09pm. You were 8lb 3oz and 21.5" long. That days changed my life forever. I never knew how deeply I could love until you arrived. You are, without a doubt, the best thing that has ever happened to me. I wouldn't trade these last 8 months for anything in the world. You are a growing, thriving, happy child. Everyone who meets you just goes on and on about how cute you are.

Up until now, you have been going to see your pediatrician every 2 months. The first time you received your vaccines, you cried and so did I. I knew that the temporary pain you experienced was necessary for your health, but it hurt mommy's heart to see you cry. You received more vaccines at your 4 and 6 month visits. It wasn't any easier for you or for mommy. Luckily, those vaccines will be fewer and further between from now on. Dr. Sonnen has continually been amazed at your strength and your height. Your daddy is a very tall man, and up until your 6 month visit, your height was always off the growth charts. You've evened back out a little bit now, but are still above the 95th percentile. I'm pretty sure that you will always be tall. Your next visit is a few days before Christmas, and I can't wait to see how much you've grown.

You have had your fair share of firsts already this year and we have made sure to document those with photographs. Your first St. Patrick's Day was actually the day you were born. A few weeks later, was your first Easter. We have pictures of you with your basket and a very large egg. Mommy and Daddy both had their first Mother's and Father's Days. We were both so very excited to finally get to experience those. Next was your first 4th of July. It was very hot that day, but you did great. Daddy gave you your first tiny taste of a snow cone. You actually watched the fireworks and seemed to enjoy them. A few weeks later, you had your first attempt into the world of "solid" food. I must say that you weren't a fan of the rice cereal. As a result, Mommy decided to wait a while longer and skip the cereal all together. Your first food was sweet potato and you loved it. In fact, you loved all the veggies that you tried. When we moved on to fruits, you weren't so sure. It took some trial and error before you finally decided that fruit was yummy too. Now, you love to eat. Especially, when you can feed yourself. However, you still pretty much refuse to hold your own bottle.

You had your first Halloween a few weeks ago. Mommy dressed you up as a flower fairy. You weren't super excited about getting the costume on, but once we did, you didn't mind. We went trick-or-treating with your cousin, Aiden. Well, we actually just walked with him since you are too young for candy. It was a little chilly that night, so you ended up wearing your sweater over your costume once the sun went down. Now, we are gearing up for your first Thanksgiving next week. I'm hopeful that you can experience some of the yummy food. Your daddy and I are really excited about your first Christmas. We know you won't remember it, but we want to make sure that it is special. I have a feeling you will be more interested in the wrapping paper than the gifts.

I can't believe how quickly the last 8 months have gone by. It seems like you were my tiny little baby not that long ago. Now, you are growing up before my very eyes. You are already so independent and opinionated. You are sitting unassisted and have been for some time. You can't quite crawl yet, but I know it's just a matter of time. I have a feeling that once you get moving, you won't stop. I love that you still like to snuggle and aren't pushing me away yet. You really are such a good baby. You hardly ever cry and I know that your temper fits are just you learning about your emotions. One day, you will be able to tell me when you are upset or unhappy. Until then, mommy is doing her best to guess.

I'm going to do my best to keep up with these letters and not let so much time pass before I write again. I think it's only fitting to close the same way every time with the quote from my favorite children's book. I promise to write again soon. Until then, remember... "I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always. As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be."

Love,
Mommy

Letter No. 1

Hello in there... this is your mommy. I recently had a friend tell me that she writes letters to her children and had been writing them since they were growing inside. She suggested that I try writing to you. I'm hoping that I can keep up with this and that one day, you will appreciate these words. I decided that the first day of 2010 was a good starting point.
You aren't yet an "outside" baby. I am 29 weeks along in my pregnancy with you. You are truly a miracle and the best thing that has ever happened to me and your daddy. Let me take this opportunity to tell you a little bit about myself and your daddy.
I am currently 29 years old. I am one of 5 children, although, I am the only child from my mother and father. They divorced when I was young and both remarried and had 2 other children each. As a result, you have 2 uncles (Matthew and Sean) and 2 aunts (Heather and Bethany). You will be very lucky to have these wonderful people in your life. I currently work as a nurse in a Pediatric ICU (specifically the Congenital Heart Surgery Unit). I love my job and am blessed to work for people who are so caring. I met your daddy in high school. We have been together for nearly 11 years now and I love him very much. He is currently 28 years old and will be 29 a few days after your "due date". He is a very loving man and already loves you very much. You and I are both very fortunate to have him. I love your daddy more than anyone in the world. He is my best friend. We have been married since June 2005. You already have a "brother" and "sister" waiting here for you. Granted, they have 4 legs and fur, but they have been our "children" until now. Abbey and Jack are good dogs and will love you very much. I think they are already aware that you exist and that their lives are going to change.
I mentioned before that you are a miracle. I know everyone says this about babies, but honestly, you are truly a gift from God. Your daddy and I tried for almost 2 years to conceive you. As it turns out, I have PCOS (Poly Cystic Ovary Syndrome) and that makes getting pregnant very difficult if not impossible without medical intervention. We were getting ready to start medications to help induce ovulation when I became pregnant with you. The day I saw "Pregnant" flash up on that test is a day I will never forget. I cried and laughed and just couldn't believe it was true. I had to take another test the next morning just to be sure I wasn't crazy. At the first visit to Dr Brodsky, we saw your tiny heart beating away. You looked like a peanut and your daddy began to call you that. I'm sure we will still call you Peanut after you are born. Now that we know who you are, we tend to call you by your name or simply our daughter. I hope that you will one day realize that you are loved beyond measure. No matter how many ups and downs we may have, we will always love you.
I'm going to close this first letter with a line from a children's book that I hope you will love. I plan to read it to you often. "I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always. As long as I'm lving, my baby you'll be."

Love,
Mommy