I love you

Dear Boston,

It has been too long since I've wrote you a letter.  This is not for a lack of things to write, because you're keeping things quite interesting around here.  This is also not for lack of love, because I love you more every day...you just keep me a lot busier these days.  You are so playful.  Daddy and I love this about you.  You are sweet and funny and silly and you adore people.  I love that you're so social.  You love music and after tonight (I took you to a Christmas party, where piano music was being played) I realize I need to get you a piano.  You waved your arms wildly as if you were conducting the music, the entire time the piano played.  You love to cuddle Momma and I think you now are attached to Daddy and I equally.  You used to play favorites, but now you're happy with either one of us. 

Two days ago I was kneeling next to you, while you sat on the couch and you wrapped your arm around my neck and gave me a beijo.  It made me cry because it was so intentional and seemed so old of you.  It also made me feel like you must adore me as much as I adore you.  It's kind of an awesome love affair we have going on.  Do you think Daddy and I are as funny and cute as we think you are?  Perhaps you too find it simply adorable how Daddy and I run, or eat, or laugh? Haha.  Just that thought makes me laugh out loud. 

You're learning so much every day.  You say 4 words now and you even know a phrase (uh-oh).  You're almost there with "thank you" and "bye bye".  You're picking up new baby signs by the minute and you know how to fold your arms for prayer.  In fact the other day Momma forgot to say prayer with you, so you just waited patiently, with arms folded, for Momma to realize her mistake.  After we said the prayer you dug right into your food.  You have a great little spirit about you and even with all your energy, you still make the best company.  I hope we're always buddies like we are now.  I know at some point we probably won't hug and kiss as much as we do now, but I hope that's replaced with good talks and playing games and learning and growing from each other. 

I love you so much Pal,

Love,

Momma

A poem for Boston

Dear Boston,

This is the poem I wrote for you on your one year birthday.  I put this poem on the back of your birthday invitation and wrote it to the cadence of Good Night Moon (the theme for your birthday party and a favorite book of yours). 

In the white nursery room there was a baby boy who'd be turning one soon
and a momma who rocked him and sang him a tune.

It was getting late yet the boy stayed awake.  The momma grabbed off the shelf a book that would help.
When the last word was read she laid him in bed.

While he slept he did dream of a beautiful scene.  A great green room and a cow jumping over the moon.

Goodnight moon he said, and goodnight crib for a bed.
Goodnight pacifiers, and goodnight all nighters.

Goodnight pureed mush, I know there's no rush,
but I'm growing up fast

and finally at last!  Goodnight nursery room I'll be turning one soon!

Love,

Momma

My copy of GNM that was read to me as a baby.

One year with you Babe

Dear Boston,

Can you believe it?  We have spent one year straight, every single day (most hours of the day) and many hours of the night together!  And that's not counting the 10 months I got to carry you around in my belly.  :)  You have been the best little pal and I have not ceased to be impressed with how incredible you are.

You are a special little spirit Boss.  There is just something about you kid.  I thought by now I would for sure be a little less in awe of you...but nope...just more amazed, more madly in love, every day.  You crack me and your Daddy up as your little personality is really starting to shine.  You always have been the sweetest/mellowest little man, but you now are showing your spunk.  I was wondering when my genes would show up in you!  You are determined, talented, excited about life and curious about everything.  You are so happy, even on days without naps you are still so much fun.  You love to laugh, kiss, wrestle, chase or be chased, dance, clap, blow, and talk with Mommy or Daddy.  You love people.  You love to be around them and try to get all their attention focused on you.  you accomplish this by waving at them, touching/petting them, getting in their face and smiling at them or just grunting...loudly at them.  :) 

I think this year we have made some fantastic memories together.  I really feel like we are building this amazing foundation for what I hope to be an awesome and close relationship for the rest of our lives.
Every morning I wake up to your little voice yelling or crying or chatting from down the hall and I say a prayer and thank the Lord that he gave me one more day with you.  You are a little treasure in my life and your Daddy feels the exact same way.  We spend MUCH of our time while you are asleep talking about you, watching videos of you, or filling each other in on the hilarious things you've done that day.

I love you pal,

Love,

Momma

PS I am listening to Pandora right now and a song just came on called Boston!  It's by Augustana.  Pretty cool, huh?

Grandma and many others love you

Dear Boston,

You are loved.  Not just by Dad and I, but by so many people.  In particular, Grandma Tresa sure does love you and you love her.  She is here visiting with us and every morning we go down to her room to say good morning.  She jumps out of bed excited to see you and play with you and you go straight to her (or her waterbottle which you also love) and tell her all about your night.  You often give her hugs and big kisses and Grandma just eats those up.

Grandma doesn't always feel the healthiest but when you are around none of that matters.  She runs and jumps and plays and dances with you as much as you want.  This morning was a rough morning for her and she was throwing up and sick in bed.  But as soon as she heard you wake up from your nap, she hopped out of bed and asked if she could take you outside to play.  I'm watching her swing you right now and it brings a tear to my eye.  She doesn't feel well ever and today she feels worse, but she is not only pushing you on your swing, she is pushing you extra high and giving you underdogs.  I can hear you and her talking and I feel so blessed to know that my baby is the recipient of such pure and unconditional love.   Just think how blessed you are Boss!  Not only does this Grandma love you to pieces but so do your Grandpa and Nana and Papa.  Nana and Papa light up every time they get to see you.  They were the first ones to meet you after you were born and Papa gave up Nana for a whole week so that she could come be with us and help us figure out this whole parenting thing.  Nana and Papa plan to drive 4 hours this Saturday to attend your first birthday party just because they love you.  All of these people and many more (including all your Aunt's Uncles, Tia's and Tio's) would do anything for you.

Grandpa (the one that calls you Chicago)

Nana and Papa

Grandma

Like I said Babe, you are loved. And we all feel so blessed to love on such a sweet, deserving little guy like you.

Love,

Momma

The art of the tantrum

Dear Boston,

You have discovered the tantrum and my do you have a talent for it.  I'm actually kind of proud of you, I was pegging you for a softie.  I don't know when you developed these new temper tantrum skills, but you seem to have your little system down.

The tantrum starts with the face.  You squish your face up into the "crying face".  It starts out as just a face, (no real emotion behind it yet) but soon enough you are able to make the fake crying face turn into the real crying face and out come the tears along with the yell.  You cry/yell and let those crocodile tears flow freely.  However, it's not long before you realize, "this is just not getting the job done".

I introduce, the Humming bird (albeit an angry, loud slightly larger Humming bird).  You flap your arms  a million miles a minute as hard as you can.  Again, to your dismay this still is not getting the job done. This is when you decide you just may need to swat something and that something is Momma...almost always her foot.  You usually throw a second swat in there, just for good measure.  At this point I begin to laugh (I can't help myself, I'm new to the Tantrum), and you cry harder, but like your Momma you can't help yourself either and you begin to laugh along with me.

We hug, we makeup and just like that we are friends again.

At some point I will do the responsible thing and use some awesome parenting technique on those tantrums that will blow your mind...but for now I think I will just laugh.

Love,

Momma

Your birth Song

Dear Boston,

When you were born Dad and I had church music playing on Pandora.  When you came out and were placed on my chest one of the nurses said, "it's like this song was meant to be playing".   Dad and I couldn't remember the song you were born to because we were totally caught up in meeting you for the first time!  We knew one of the songs that played had lyrics like, "we will love you, we will take care of you" but we couldn't remember THE song that played the moment you were born.

Well, today while I was cleaning and listening to the same Pandora station (Hillary Weeks) that I listened to in the Hospital, your song came on!  Your birth song.  The one I had been wishing I could find.  It hit me like a ton of bricks and I knew it was your song.  It is a beautiful song about Christ's birth.  The day you were born was such a spiritual experience.   Here is THE song.

I love you baby,

Love,

Momma

Croup

Dear Boston,
I am currently rocking you in one arm while typing with the other.  I wanted to share my latest journal entry with you. Here it is,

Thursday June 23^rd, 2011

7 am (cozy in bed)

Boston is 9 months old and is presently experiencing croup for the first time. Poor baby. He is sleeping sweetly in his crib next to me right now. The wind is blowing the curtains open and a cool breeze is filling the room after a long hot night. The sound of the humidifier is keeping us company, thankfully sans coughing attacks. For now, Boston sleeps peacefully. We had a long worried filled night. I watched Boston toss and turn all night in between one coughing fit after the other. He tangled himself in his blanket as he tossed and turned all night. With every turn a little more of his chubby thighs were exposed. I replaced his blanket back over his sweet little body all through the night, taking care to not wake him. Boston was in constant search of a comfortable sleeping position and when he couldn't find one, he would sit up, try to orient himself and then toss his head back down, bum in the air, in total exhaustion. When his coughing fits got really bad I picked him up and held him, while patting his back until they subsided. We stood and sweat together in a hot steamy bathroom trying to clear his airways. I nursed Boston multiple times throughout the night and these moments were the few that he seemed totally at peace and relaxed. I cried a little. Observed a lot and prayed all night long. Countless times I reached over to touch his little chest to see if he was breathing ok. I picked him up to rock him and lay him back down many hours throughout the night. It was a long worry filled night and all I could think, was how much I love this baby.

He is my world. I want nothing but the very best for him and there is nothing I wouldn't do for him. He is such a sweet sweet baby and hardly cries. He hardly even makes a fuss. He just looks up at me for comfort and twirls my hair in his fingers as I sing him his favorite songs. Boston loves and adores me and I unconditionally love him. He is everything to Dane and I. He's the first thing we think about when we wake up and the last thing we talk about when we go to bed. I pray that his health will return soon. I know Heavenly Father is looking out for him and for all of us.

i just love this nakey picture of you...don't worry i'll delete it from here before you're old enough to get mad at me about it

I am so tired, but so grateful that I get to be the one serving this little boy. He is an angel and it is an honor to be his Momma. I am so grateful that the Lord has entrusted this sweet spirit to my care and I will do everything I can to care for and love and nourish this little boy.

Love,
Momma