An Ode To The Baby.

   I wish I had something more creative to call my youngest son, but since the day he came home, he was dubbed "Baby D". Not by us, but by his oldest brother. Even to this day, if I try to call him anything else, I am promptly reprimanded by said oldest son and told that no, his name is indeed, "Baby D". So our baby he is and our baby he will always be.
    Before I had children, people would always warn me about how quickly the time goes by. How one day I will wake up and their rooms will be empty and I will be greeted by a full-blown man the next time he visits me. With my two older boys, it wasn't really like that. Time seemed steady, not really so "fast" as everyone had warned. My youngest though, has left me wondering where all the sand in the glass has disappeared to. In only a few short weeks, we will be celebrating his first birthday. His first birthday! How is that even possible?
    It leaves me a little breathless and every time I look at his sweet little face, those mommy twinges start tugging on my heart. I think it has everything to do with his absolutely wonderful disposition. My older two were always older than their years. Each of them like this little old man trapped inside of a child's body. My youngest though, has been everything you would think a baby would be. Since the day I laid eyes on him, he has been this content, serene, joyous child. He is the definition of a bubbly, bouncing, baby boy. Happy to love all and receive their love in return. No questions, no expectations, no fuss. He just loves to sit and take in all that life has to offer.
    The last year has taught me a lot of lessons as a parent. I had to learn how to be a mother to three boys, four and under, with the youngest two only 15 months apart. When your children are all so close in age, you become amazed while watching their dynamics begin to form. What each of them offer to each other, what they offer to you, what they offer to the family as a whole. My youngest has been the most eye-opening to me as a parent. He came into our family and it almost felt as though he was welcoming us all into his embrace. He has, in a strange way, become the anchor of our family. He is the one who every single one of us go to when we need calming, when we need laughter, when we need peace. His brothers especially, reach out to him when they need space away from each other. And he has most definitely strengthened the bond between them as a unit. The three of them have learned a lot about patience and understanding, from having my youngest son around.
    I remember when we became pregnant with my youngest. My middle son was only 6 months old and every single person we knew thought we were out of our ever-loving minds. At the time though, and still to this day, we both knew it was right. We knew that it was something that was meant for us, was meant for our family. My husband and I had almost a feeling of intuition that this baby, regardless of the timing, needed to join us now. We felt so strongly about that feeling, that we actually started trying to get pregnant when my middle son was only 3 months old. That may sound crazy to some, but one year ago, that intuition was realized and it instantly felt right. I honestly believe that he was always meant to be part of our family, regardless of how close in age it would make him and his brother.
    So to my sweet, wide-eyed, little boy; Happy Birthday. You have made every single day of the last year, an absolute joy. Your constant smile, your beautiful soul, your contagious laughter; every last part of you has been worth the craziness that has become our family. I cannot wait to see you grow into a tiny man.

Love Forever and Always,

Mommy