Oh your tiny hands and feet, how my heart longed to protect you from the first time I layed eyes on you at 5:08p on June 16, 2010. Your little snuggle, nuzzeling into my warmth. Holding you Daddy’s hand. Perfectly contented to sleep… and sleep… and sleep.

And then there came the tension of you not gaining weight quite right, you just wanted to sleep. But after a few days of bootcamp, you started thriving and filling out. We were out of the lightweight scare without the need of intervention.

You started growing strong and you character started to emerge. My vocal baby, you sure found your lungs. But even when you were most worked up, touch brought you comfort. Oh there were the rough moments, it wasn’t all sunshine, in which the porch swing seemed our only comforter. Oh the miles on that porch swing. But one thing remained – snuggling was a necessity. It’s how you understand love.

So here I sit, a year later on your birthday, swinging you on the porch swing. Your calm, more than content to just snuggle into me and watch my face. Here in my arms is your preference, even though curiosity runs in your bones. Curiosity about the big wonderful world and the tastes of the plants and mulch nearby. But here in my arms you are calm, quiet, safe… loved.

Abi, my love, I always imagined our kid #2 would be wonderful, but you are unfathomable. From the way you cling to my arm when I hold you to that little pacifier smile and twinkle in your eye that says, “that’s my mommy,” you bless me so. God really has blessed me so with your warm little heart. And while you may be more than satisfied to just be held instead of investigating the world, and while my sidekick can sometimes be a bit of a challenge in tasks like one-handed-dish-washing or one-handed-laundry-folding, you are worth the challenge in every way. And it really is a compliment to know that you would rather just be near me than seek your own independence. The time will come when you too will spread your wings like your sister and set off on your own adventures of toddlerhood. But, my sweet little birthday baby, I am glad that that day is not quite today. I love holding you and snuggling you while I still can, my little Abi baby.

Happy birthday, lovey. Snuggles all around.

Start

Oh wait, this tastes good!

All hands on deck.

No crumb left behind policy.

Finished.