Letter to My Son

(Better late than never!)
Baby--

You are one month old today. Mommy and Daddy are still in awe that you are here. Mommy has held you and looked at you and cried - she can't believe how lucky she is. And Daddy, too. Mommy and Daddy are so happy that you are finally here.

On the day you were born, Grandpa J and Nana were in town. They had been waiting for days and days for you to be born but you just weren't coming! Mommy was worried that Grandpa J and Nana would have to go back home before getting to meet you. But you waited exactly one week to be born from your due date and Grandpa J and Nana were still in town. Mommy and Daddy and Grandpa J and Nana went to see a play, the Master Builder, on Thursday night and things started happening that night! Mommy cried a little because she was scared and wanted to make sure that you were alright. Mommy labored all day on Friday but it wasn't too bad until the evening. Then Mommy yelled at Daddy to get up and take her to the hospital and Mommy has never seen Daddy move so fast! Once we got to the hospital, the doctor said, "Let's go have a baby!" Daddy was so excited he started jumping around the room! Mommy was surprised, she couldn't believe it was really happening! She was lucky to have Daddy there and a great nurse who helped. You were born pretty fast! Mommy didn't get to see you at first for a long time because they had to make sure you were OK - but Daddy was with you the whole time. That was very scary for Mommy.

Grandma J and Auntie M jumped in the car and drove from Ohio to meet you. They were very excited. Grandma J, Auntie M, Grandpa J and Nana got to meet you on the day you were born! Grandma J told your Auntie M to stop hogging you and to let her hold you, too.

Mommy wanted you to always be in the room with her at the hospital. The first time you fell asleep on Mommy's chest was one of the best moments in her life. It was very, very late and the hospital was very quiet. You had been crying in your bassinet and Mommy picked you up and held you close until you fell asleep. It was the best.

When Mommy and Daddy took you home they were very excited. Mommy dressed you in an outfit that was a little too big and Daddy thought you looked like you were wearing a fencing outfit. Then Daddy drove us all home very slowly. When we got home your two doggies, Ben and Momo were very surprised and curious to meet you. Daddy brought home something of yours earlier so they could get a little familiar with you. Even though Mommy and Daddy were very tired, we spent a lot of time staring at you. You were just perfect.

Even though it's only been a month, you've grown and changed a lot.

You smile and coo whenever you are first put down on the changing table. You don't particularly like to be changed - but once you are, you are back to smiling. You make the best noises.

You have found your hands and sometimes you suck on your fingers. Oftentimes you put the side of your hand in your mouth, or your pinky. Once when you were breastfeeding, you also had your finger in your mouth! Sometimes when Mommy looks down at you, you have your hands clasped together, sometimes resting under your chin. Mommy and Daddy remember seeing your hands always near your face in the sonograms, too.

You have already braved the New York City subway and gone to the Museum of Modern Art. You slept almost the entire time. There was a Miro show and a very crowded Van Gogh show. Your cousin R was there along with your Grandma J, Grandpa D and Nana. Mommy fed you for a little while just inside the museum. Nana played with cousin R so that Grandma J could see the Miro show because Nana saw it with Grandpa J when they were waiting for you to be born. Grandma J said that the Miro show gave her great inspiration for her own paintings.

You also recently had your first real bath. You didn't like it at all. Daddy bathed you while Mommy and Grandpa D watched and took pictures. You found it very undignified and maybe a little scary. Daddy was sure to bathe you fast so that you could get back into your warm clothes.

You love your sling - it hugs you close to Mommy or Daddy and makes you feel warm and safe. You usually fall asleep in the sling. Sometimes, when you are crying, Mommy puts you in the sling and walks you up and down the stairs. Most of the time, you will then fall asleep. Sometimes you don't like to sleep at night. You may cry a lot or seem perfectly content to look around and see what's going on, even when it's 4 AM.

You have already grown out of your undershirts. You are growing fast. Mommy and Daddy can't believe it!

Daddy likes to put you in fancy outfits but mostly he just wants you to wear the Justice League shirt. Daddy would probably like to have about 15 Justice League shirts for you. We've discussed the possibility that you may not be as big of a Justice League fan as Daddy is - but Daddy doesn't believe it. But Mommy and Daddy know that you will have likes and dislikes that we never anticipated.

Mommy and Daddy love you very much! Happy One Month! We're so very lucky that you are here!