My Crazy Little Buddy

To My Crazy Little Buddy,

 

 

I truly cannot wait for the changes that lie ahead for both of us. You get to have a sister! A really cute one! And I KNOW you will be a good big brother. I know because you instinctively handle babies gently, you get very upset when other children are crying, and you are not forceful or bully-like, but are gentle and loving.

 

When we go to Meijer, I dare the Greeter to say "Good Morning" before you are already yelling "Goo' Mornin'!" with a huge smile on your face. I love the shocked look on adults' faces when you use please and thank you and you're welcome and excuse me without prompting. And you do this not because I did such a good job teaching you manners, but I think you truly enjoy the feeling of positive interactions with others.

And I'm sorry, but up until yesterday, I thought you were 100% a mini-Mark. Yesterday, I yelled at our cat to get off a chair. You looked at me, your lip pouted as you tried to hold it together, and then you lost it. For 10 minutes I held you, trying to figure out what was wrong. And then I apologized for being mean to the kitty and assured you that I love the kitty. "You love kitty mama?" "Yes, Buddy, I love the kitty and I'm sorry I was mean to her." You smiled, jumped up, and started playing. My oh my that reminds me of someone I know. Instead of calling it "irrational sensitivity", we call it "a passion for justice".

We have been like glue from Day One. The first 6 weeks of your life you would only sleep if you were on me. And 2 1/2 years later, as I type this, you are scrunched right up next to me on the couch. It doesn't matter where we are, if I am sitting, you are probably scrunched up next to me...or climbing all over me and jabbing me with those tiny little elbows and knees.



 These 2 1/2 years have been just me and you, pretty much all day, every day. And I have loved it. So much. I think that most mothers, when anticipating the second child, their feelings are divided. Yes, we anticipate and pray for and long for the second little one to be here, but at the same time, we know that a time in our life is coming to a close. An intimate and special time that, tragically, you will never even remember. So I want you to know that we had this special time, we were the best of buddies, we went to the park and the children's museum and library story time and the mall and played with cars for hours and hours. We sang songs and danced and snuggled. You taught me Mother's Love just by being here and being you. Thank you, I love you, and I will cherish our time together these past two years more than you will ever know.