One

Dear Hunter,

A whole year of your life has flown by and what a journey it has been. 

We found out early on that we were expecting a boy, and to these two parents of little girly girls that was quite a concept.  I spent many months of my pregnancy wondering what you would be like.  I wondered what your little face would look like.  I wondered what color your hair would be.  I wondered what your voice would sound like.  I wondered what you would be like as a preschooler, as a junior higher, as a high schooler, as a college student, as a young man. 

On December 17, 2012, you were pulled out and amidst the proclamations of “It’s a boy” and “It’s a BIG boy” I heard your voice loud and clear.  Before I saw you, before I touched you, before I felt you in my arms, I heard your strong masculine cry.  It was different from your sisters’ in many ways, lower, deeper, louder.  I finally got to hold you, to place you against my chest and look you over.  You were blonde, blue-eyed, chubby-cheeked, hefty and strong, and absolutely perfect. 

We had this inkling you would be a little different while we were still at the hospital.  On occasion you would cry and then stop without us even lifting you out of your bed.  You were easy and we were sort of preparing ourselves for you to get more challenging.  But you never did.  We found ourselves muttering awed expressions to others like “He is such an easy baby.  We didn’t know babies could be this good!”  But you were.  You slept through the night right away.  You always ate well.  You didn’t want a pacifier and needed no swaddling.  You were content and sweet and we were able to really truly enjoy our time with you.

Over the past 12 months, we have so loved having you in our family.  We look at your face and cannot possibly imagine our family without you.  You delight all of us daily. 

You are incredibly strong and fiercely independent.  You babble a lot and can say Mama, Dada, and Hello.  You walk all over the house all day long.  You prefer exploring to playing with toys.  You insist on being wherever others are.  You love to take things apart.  You smile easily and often.  You have the greatest pouty lip I have ever seen.  You are the most kissed baby ever.  I hope we can control ourselves more as you get older because right now you get smooched just about every time we see your little smiling face.  And though we are often wide-eyed with wonder over how VERY boyish you are, we still laugh and enjoy having a rough-and-tumble you to play with.

We cannot talk about your past year without mentioning the two little girls who are your big sisters.  I will never forget the looks on their faces when they came to the hospital to meet you.  Joy.  There is no other word.  They were filled with joy.  I figured it would be short lived.  I was wrong.  They adore you even to this day.  Reagan delights in taking care of you.  Maddie loves to play with you.  Hunter, I want you to know how deeply and irrevocably they love you right now.  They have so much tenderness and grace for you.  And truly, you love them as well.  The smile on your face when we pick up Maddie from preschool or when Reagan comes home from school is so infectious. 

On the first night of your life your Dad had gone home for the night to take care of your sisters.  It was just you and me and the awesome nurses.  They brought you to me late that night.  In the quiet darkness of our corner room, I fed you and then put your tiny fuzzy head on my shoulder.  You tilted your head back and I stroked your soft downy temple with my finger.  You gazed at me in wonder and then let your eyes roll back into sleep.  I had loved you from the moment I knew you were on the way, but that night I fell head over heels for my little boy.

I won’t always get it right.  I will make you mad (I already do).  I will be overprotective.  I will say the wrong things, set the wrong limits, get offended too easily, and without a doubt I will embarrass you horribly.  But I’ll love you.  I will love you more than I could say in 1,000 birthday letters.  I will love you no matter how many times you empty your dresser drawers (though you may stop that at any time).  I will love you and love you and love you.

You have completed our family and filled our hearts and I am so thankful for this day – the day you came to us. 

I love you so.

Love,

Mommy