1.30.2012

Neat-nick

Dear Son,


I hope you are a neat-nick, not to the obsessive compulsive degree, but that you like to keep things nice and tidy.  If you are, you are that way in spite of your parents.  We try hard to keep a clean and organized house, we try even harder now with you around, and while it's easy to do in your room and with your things, there are still areas of the house (don't get me started on the closets and under the beds) that need some extra TLC in the tidiness category.  Trust me that your days run smoother if you keep things clean and you don't suffer from CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome).


Love,
Your Not-so-neat Mommy

1.29.2012

The Nanny

My dear son,


We are blessed to have a nanny to take care of you while Mommy and Daddy are at work.  A nanny was the best decision for our family and for our work schedules, even with me working a reduced schedule, and we really like our nanny.  However, my darling son, please don't like the nanny more than me.  Some people try to calm my fears and tell me that this is not possible, but for this new mamma it's a real-life concern and the thought hurts my heart.  So bear with my (possibly irrational) fears and please don't like the nanny more than me.


My undying love,
Your Mommy

1.28.2012

Picky, picky, picky

Darling Son,


Please, please don't be a picky eater.  Take it from your mommy who used to be one - life is much more enjoyable when you are not a picky eater.  There are so many wonderful tastes and textures and flavors and combinations - it's so important to be open to trying new things, to enjoying new and exotic things.  I assure you that your daddy and I will do everything we can in your infancy and toddlerhood to appropriately expose you to all sorts of delicious foods, but I truly hope you take from those experiences a deep appreciation for all types of cuisine and a sense of adventure when it comes to food.  


Deliciously yours,
Your Mommy

1.26.2012

La lengua

Precious Son,


You have THE cutest tongue EVER!  Seriously - it's adorable, and you've really found it lately and love to show your cute tongue in the most precious ways.  I've seen a lot of babies and a lot of babies' tongues, and none are as cute as yours.  Now I do not have another child of my own to compare, so we'll revisit this statement once you have a baby brother or sister, but I feel I confident that I will stand firm on my position that you have the cutest tongue ever.  I'm sure your eighteen-year-old self will be so proud!


With love,
Your Mommy

1.25.2012

Handyman

My Young Son,


Become handy.  I highly recommend it.  Clearly I am a girl, so being handy is not quite the prerequisite for me that it is for you, but not all men are handy either.  And life is just a lot easier (and cheaper) if you're handy.  So we will encourage you to do handy things and learn from your father, your grandfathers and, to the extent I'm able to teach you anything of worth, me too.


Love,
Your Mommy

1.24.2012

Bon Voyage

Dear Son,


Riddle me this: I want desperately for you to see the world, experience and appreciate other cultures, learn other languages, try new things, be adventurous, etc.  However, the kids I knew growing up who were well traveled were spoiled brats, or at least silver-spoon-in-their-mouths rich kids.  So how do I take you places without spoiling you rotten?  We'll leave that as a rhetorical question.


Bon voyage,
Your Mommy

1.23.2012

Sleeping through the night

My Good Sleeper Son,


New parents are sleep-deprived, even if they don't realize it in the moment, just look at those pictures from the first few weeks (or months or years, depending on the child), and it's obvious.  But here's the curious thing ... in going back to work, I really - like really, really - miss your middle-of-the-night nursing.  I miss that quiet time alone with just the two of us, your sweet, little hand grasping my finger and your glances up at me and coos indicating your sublime happiness (never mind that you're just happy you got what you wanted - to feed in the middle of the night while the rest of the world is cozy and dreaming in their beds) and my blissful smile back down at you, silently agreeing that this is a happy moment while I ignore how tired, and potentially grumpy, this hour-long sleep hiatus will make me tomorrow.  Therefore, all of these really long sentences to say that I actually miss your crying rousing me from my slumber at 2:00 a.m. (Try explaining that to the mother of a 3-week-old!)


Sweet dreams,
Your Mommy

1.22.2012

Mommy loves you.

My son,

I love you.  I realize this is a basic sentence, spoken all too often and used to express many a feeling.  However, when I tell you I love you, I love you in a way you cannot understand until you have a child of your own.  I always hated that phrase, that concept, before I had you.  But now that you're here, I know that all those people who said that you, this tiny being, would change my life forever and cause me to love in a way I couldn't possibly understand previously - those crazy nuts were right.  I love you in a way I have never loved anyone else, not even Daddy.  I choose to love Daddy, and I love him dearly.  I have to love you - not because anyone is forcing me but because you are a part of me.  That old quote about how having children is living with your heart outside your body ... check!  And while you are only a few months old, I already am excited for the day when you will truly understand what I mean when I say "I love you."

My undying love,
Your Mommy

1.20.2012

My D-Day*

Dear Son,

In a few short days, I go back to work. In a few short days, I do the hardest thing I've done in months (you know, since that whole labor and delivery part of things) - I will walk out that door and leave you behind ... in extremely capable hands but not my hands. And typing those words hurts my heart, but I know this is the right thing right now.  And thus, in consideration of the fact that I will not be by your side 24/7 (which I know is exactly what you wanted - well, you might actually want that right now but probably not so much from say age 6 on), I write this blog to you, these sentences - of love, of observation, of learning, of wisdom (I hope), of thoughts, of hopes, of exasperation, of questions, of sharing, of encouragement, of perspective, of words ... words from me to you.

All my love,
Your Mommy

*Side-bar: As this blog is all about things I want you, my son, to know and observe and experience, and high on that list is an appreciation for history, I feel a bit guilty flippantly throwing around the phrase "D-Day" to signify the day I go back to work, as my going back to work clearly pales in comparison to the sacrifices that were made on June 6, 1944 in Normandy. Alas, this is the common use of the phrase and is an appropriate moniker for this day in my life, albeit trivial in the grand scheme of things.