To My Son On His 1st Birthday

My Dearest William-

How quickly a year passes.  A year ago yesterday, at this very moment, I was laying in my hospital bed (wearing my favorite pajamas) and your dad and I were still trying to decide what to name you.  You were wrapped in a black gauze swaddling blanket, sound asleep and so peaceful, when the nurse (who knew what names we were wavering between) leaned over your isolet and said, "He looks like he'd make a really good William." 

And you know what?  You do.  You'd probably make a good Gabriel or Adrien or Edison.  You'd  have made a good anything.  You are a good person.  Granted, you are still so little.  Your whole life is still ahead of you, but this much about you is true:

You have happiness that spills out of your pores.  Your laugh is infectious, your voice make all of us smile.  You find joy in every minute of every day; in what you see, in what you do, in all of your first...and seconds...and thirds.  You are the piece of this family we didn't even know we were missing until you were born. 

You are tough.  You are tiny (19.5 pounds) and scrappy.  You can push even your biggest of brothers out of the way with a single hand-swipe.  You can climb up and over almost any obstacle, even said brothers.  Even if you can't, you will try.  And then you'll try again.  You'll grimace, maybe even yell out, and go back for more.  You're aren't deterred by much.  You're persistent.

You are beautiful.  Simply put, you are a pretty little boy. You have tiny almond-shaped eyes, a full little mouth, and the shiniest baby hair I have ever seen.  You have soft, milky, skin and the sweetest little feet.  You may be small, but you pack some great genes in that tiny body.  (Your dad and I cannot even take credit for them.  You look like a compilation of your other relatives.)

Hatch, I wish there were the words to tell you how much you mean to this family.  Your arrival brought with it a change in our family.  You taught us so much about what life is all about; about what makes us the most happy; about what makes families so special.  You brought us closer.  You make our family a little more complete.

You are one of our three greatest joys.  You are a gift, my sweet boy.  You always were.  You always will be.  Thank you for being our gift.  Thank you for the honor of raising you. 
 

With love,
Mom