Bab-E Brother's 1st Birthday

Thank you Mom-E, for composing this wonderful letter.


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Dear Bab-E Brother,

We can hardly believe that you've reached your first birthday! I can’t help but look back at the day I found out that I was pregnant with you. I just had this strange feeling and decided to take a test. Wow! What a wonderful surprise! Daddy was at work. He could hardly believe it when I called him with the news. Ever since we found out that you would be joining our family, I have had this sense that God has something special in store for you. I don’t know what it is, but I just know that you are here to do something important.

I enjoyed a very healthy pregnancy and all of your kicks and squirms. Then, one night, I was reading to your older brothers and saying the prayer. I said to Big Brother, “wouldn’t it be nice if the baby came this weekend?” To my delight, contractions began shortly after Dad-E and I kissed them goodnight. We got to the hospital just in time for an epidural and you made your debut at 4:18 am! I cannot describe the joy we felt when you were born. You were just beautiful … and what amazingly healthy lungs you had! The next day, Big Brother and Little Brother cam to the hospital to meet our little blue-eyed bundle. They were so sweet to you and so excited that you were joining our family. To this day, Little Brother regularly makes requests to hold you in his lap and Big Brother loves to make you laugh with his silly antics.

You were born during a very cold time in January. Since your room was the coldest in the house, you spent the first month sleeping in a portable crib in our room. The first night home was pretty tough. You had your days and nights reversed and absolutely refused to sleep. Dad-E and I spent the night alternating staying up with you. After a couple days, that got a lot better and you were a great sleeper. The next couple months were a lot of fun as we adjusted to our new lives as a family of five! In February, we took you on a road trip to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. That was pretty crazy, but we had a nice time. Three weeks later, we moved into a new house! We were so excited to have some more space.

For many months, you were a quiet baby with little babbling. I have to admit that I was a little nervous about your silence. Then, all of a sudden, you started babbling nonstop! Since then, I think you only stop babbling when you are sleeping. All day, we hear ba ba ba, da da da, ma ma ma, etc. We just love to hear your sweet voice! You also love to shake your head “NO.” I’m not totally convinced that you know what the gesture means, but you definitely love to do it. Especially if one of your brothers shakes their head “no” rapidly, you join in and laugh.

Over the past few months, you have grown so much. Just recently you have begun eating only solid food – who needs that mushy babyfood anyway? We call you the puff daddy because you love those Gerber puffs. Sometimes I use them to lure you into your highchair. As long as there are a few puffs on the tray, you eagerly sit in your chair. As I strap you in, you’ll make a happy smacking noise with your mouth (just like you do before nursing or brushing your teeth) and you’ll shove them in your mouth! So far, you like to eat sliced grapes and bananas. Sometimes you nibble on sweet potatoes and chicken and bread. You’ll play with the green beans and peas and maybe a little gets in your mouth. We’re working on the sippy cup. You’ll figure that out soon.

We cannot get over your unbelievably happy disposition. It is a rare moment when you cry. Usually, you are squealing with joy, giggling and smiling. Your brothers make you laugh all the time by making funny faces. I can always count on them to entertain you when I need a minute to do something. In fact, you have already starting making your own jokes. When Dad-E or I change your diaper, we often find that putting your pants on our head will make you belt out your hearty laugh. One day, I handed you your pants after I had donned them on my head. Immediately, you put them on YOUR head and let out a jovial chuckle. Awesome!

You clearly adore your older brothers (as they do you). It doesn’t matter what age-appropriate toy we get out for you, you want to do exactly what your brothers are doing. You’ll crawl over their Legos like a steamroller, steal the smallest choking hazard you can find, hide it in your fist, and go find a place to pull yourself to a stand so you can examine your loot. You have been commando crawling for a while, but now you are starting to crawl on your hands and knees! Recently you started clapping your hands and giving high fives. Christmas was such a magical time for you. You LOVED the Christmas tree! Every time we passed by the tree, you would enthusiastically make the “tree” sign. One night we went to see some special Christmas lights. You stood in my lap during the hayride and pointed, cooed, and giggled hysterically. I hoped that you would enjoy it, but I had no idea that you would love it that much. What a fun treat that was!

Other things that you love are socks and burp towels. You LOVE to hold them and cuddle with them especially at naptime. You are notorious for pulling your socks off while riding in the car to play with them. Although you are happy most of the time, riding in the car isn’t your favorite pastime. However, if you start to cry, all we have to do is sing the ABC’s and you immediately calm down. It’s really funny because if we stop singing midway through the song, you will start to cry again in protest. But, if we start up again, you calm right down. Little Brother will often sing to you too if I forget. It’s awesome … he sings very loudly and out of key. Adorable! When the day is over, Dad-E is your preferred parent. You love it when he rocks you to sleep. It’s definitely a nice bonding time for you two.

On this first birthday, we want to tell you how much we love you and how happy we are that you have become part of our crazy family. We are looking forward to all of the fun to come as you grow and blossom. Always know that we all love you very much and nothing will ever change that.

Love,

Mom-E and Dad-E