My Greatest Teacher

My Precious Child, 

Loving you is like breathing. Effortless. Necessary. Vital to my very survival. I need you. Sometimes when I look at you, I'm overwhelmed with this feeling of complete awe. Your daddy and I MADE you. From scratch! I just can't quite wrap my head around the fact that out of all the little babies in the whole world, we get to be with you. Your snuggles. Your adorable smile. Your beautiful voice. Your chubby little legs. Your curly brown hair. Your big blue eyes. 

You are over 3 months old now. You like to sing with me and play with daddy. Eating remains your favorite hobby. No shame. You can hold your head up like a champ and you refuse to sleep if there is anyone visiting around you. Heaven forbid you miss out on social hour! You're becoming fiercely independent so cuddling on my chest, a routine I had fallen so in love with, is becoming less frequent. I make sure to cherish the moments you let me hold you like I did when you were a brand new baby. 

And you're hitting milestones like a little Olympian. You can sit up with some help and you rolled over last week. This right here is your new favorite stance.

But not all milestones were so joyful. This month we also crossed "first illness" off your list of milestones. You were hit with a nasty virus while we were on vacation in Wisconsin Dells. You were vomiting every single thing you ate and, after a frantic rush over to the clinic, we feared you would need to be hospitalized for dehydration the following morning. Somehow you managed to maintain enough fluids overnight that an IV wasn't needed. You slowly got your spunky attitude back and started holding food down. For the first time in over a day, I could breath again. 

Seeing you in pain made me wish that virus had a face. I would punch it square in the nose. You are my greatest teacher, sweet girl. You teach me strength. Compassion. Selflessness. You make me want to be a better person every single day when I wake up. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, I wouldn't do to help you. 

You may not remember this but the day I brought you home from the hospital, we made a deal. Since neither of us really seemed to know how to do this whole parent-child thing yet, I promised you that we could figure it out together. I may not always have the right answers. Sometimes, like the time you got a relentless stomach bug, all that I will be able to do is hold you. Keep you hydrated. Kiss your cheeks. Sing to you. Pray that you will feel better soon and that I will have the strength not to break down in tears. But I will be always be there. You will never have to wonder where my priorities lie because you're it. My number one. My heart. My joy. 

Thank you for showing me just how resilient you can be. Thank you for your sweet nature, your charming smiles, and your joyful spirit. You are my sunshine. I am honored to be your momma. 

Love Always and Forever, 

Mom