Letters to our Children

I have been inspired by a friend who recently shared her own blog and her mission to write a letter to her daughter every month. As anyone can see, from my last post, our sweet Avery wasn't even here yet and I haven't updated since. Life has been kind of crazy-the best kind of crazy-and I did at least type up her birth story so I have it forever. However, I am self-admittedly terrible at writing things down--milestones reached, funny sayings/doings, events and trips, etc., etc., etc. I promise myself at the time that I will always remember whatever it was that was so sweet, endearing, funny or crazy, but then before I know it, time has flown by and I find that I just cannot recall certain moments like I used to. Anyhow, I thought that writing one letter to each of our children every month should be totally doable. I want to do this for them, and for me, but mostly for them. They will want these memories as much as I will later on in our lives. I'm starting with our sweet Avery. :)

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Dearest Avery Jordann.

Today is a pretty big day for you! Today marks your half birthday, six months of your beautiful little life. Six months since you came in to this world at warp speed and melted every single one of our hearts. I remember that moment as if it were just yesterday, which is probably why it is so hard for me to believe that we are already here. You were born, I looked to your dad and he mouthed the words, "it's a girl." And I just lost it...I cried the happiest of tears. You were here--you were safe--you were ours. I remember telling your dad, long before I was pregnant with you, that if we had another baby I just "felt" that we would have another girl. (I was not a good "guesser" about your sister and brother, so he just shrugged at me and went on about his business!) I had a very vivid dream while I was pregnant with you--and we had a little girl. I recall waking up the morning after that dream feeling so incredibly excited to meet you (I didn't know at the time of the dream if you were a boy or a girl) and I felt so incredibly full of love for you...long before you were even in my arms.

 Every member of our little family (and extended family) has just fallen in love with you! I have said from the beginning, that Avery is a little person who knows what she wants when she wants it. When you were ready to make your big debut, you arrived in record time. In the first few days of your life I was stressing about making sure you nursed every two hours on the dot. You fought me hard-we were both in tears. Until I figured out that you were just sleepy and that maybe, just maybe you were the kind of little person who wanted to eat every three hours (thanks Aunt Bailey for helping me accept that!) Sure enough, you would snooze a bit and wake up and eat exactly three hours after your last feeding. Even now, you can be the most patient and tolerant little person, until you've had enough and then you do not hesitate to make your frustrations known. In addition to that, I am completely overwhelmed by your sweetness, your laidback and patient demeanor, your smile, your eyes, your beautiful bald head, your wandering and exploring hands that always find my face or my hair while we're rocking at night. Those same wandering and exploring hands like to find Daddy's face, Gavin's nose, and Sydney's eyeglasses.  I am trying my very hardest to soak up all of these precious moments with you, for I know they fly by way too fast. I hold you a little bit longer in the middle of the night, after you have finished eating and you drift off to sleep. I wear you a little bit more in the baby carrier because I love "snuggling" with you. I love to lay on the play mat with you, just to be that close to you, and see the world from your eyes. I absolutely adore watching you react when you see your brother and sister. You LOVE them and get the biggest smile on your face when they come around. You kick and wiggle and sometimes even "talk" to them until they come close and you start reaching for their faces, their hair, their hands. They adore you, Avery and they cannot get enough of you. You have your Daddy wrapped around your finger and I think he tells you 20 times every day how beautiful and sweet you are and how much he loves you. You are the perfect addition to our family Avery. You make this family complete! I cannot wait to see what lies in store for you as you continue to grow and change. I am honored to be your mother and I love you more than you will ever know.

Love,
Mom