Dear Charlie-
Today you turn one. Do you know that the day you were born was both the most terrifying and perfect day all rolled into one? You gave us such a big scare when your heartbeat fell of the monitor and it took over five minutes to locate it. Charlie, I've never been so scared in my life. I had not even met you yet, but I knew you so well from spending every single second of the past nine months with you. The thought of something happening to you...well...I can't even put it into words. When we finally found your heartbeat I felt so much relief but was also a little afraid that we might have a firecracker of a little boy who would give us a run for our money (kind of like your big brother) and it was already starting. Turns out that is so far from the truth as you are sweet as sweet can be.
I truly never believed that babies like you existed When I heard Mothers talk about their babies who did not cry and were happy all the time and slept well I thought they were lying. That was until I met you. You really only ever cried if you needed something-changed, fed, burped, a nap-otherwise you were content. You started sleeping through the night at about 6 weeks and did so every night until you were 4 months old. We did hit a bit of a rough patch from about 4 months to 8 months in the sleep department but you still were an awesome sleeper waking up once to eat, chugging your bottle and heading back to sleep. At around 9 months you started sleeping from 6:00 pm until almost 7:00 am every night. Yep, you showed me that pretty much perfect babies do exist.
From the very beginning we have said that you are sweetest boy. You love to be held and watch the world around you. When you were smaller you loved nothing more than to be snuggled up next to me in the Ergo carrier. You give your smiles out for free and have the most contagious grin.
As you have gotten older it has been so fun to watch your personality develop. You love food. Like, LOVE LOVE LOVE food. You have never met a food you don't like and some of the only time we see your temper is when you see us making or eating food and you are not getting any. You sit there and yell at us to let us know that you would like some too.
You love you brother more than anybody and it warms my heart to watch the 2 of you together. You light up when you hear his voice or see his face and you want to do whatever he is doing. He loves you so much and already stands up for you. The other day a kid pushed you over and Drake marched right up to him and said "That is my brother! You do not touch him!" Yep, I told you he loves you.
Charlie Bear you have brought so much to this family. My eyes are filling with tears right now as I write this thinking about all the special moments that we have shared this year. Do you know what my favorite memories of our first year are? Those nights that you got up in the middle of the night to eat. I love rocking you in the quiet house when it was just you and I awake. I loved watching your face as you ate your bottle. I always rocked you longer than you need me to, but I did it for me, not you. I knew that you would not always be getting up in them middle of the night. I knew this year would fly by. So I rocked you and held you and snuggled you instead of rushing back to my warm bed. I wish I could bottle up those moments to relive over and over again.
Lastly Charlie, I want to thank you. Thank you. Thank you for being the sweet and gentle and funny and HUNGRY little boy that you are. Thank you for being that missing piece in our family. Thank you for your smiles and grins and laughs and those big blue eyes that can melt me in a second. Thank you for letting me smother you in kisses and cuddles every day. Thank you for making Drake a big brother. Thank you for giving me the chance to be a Momma again.
And thank God for letting you be ours.
I love you Charlie,
Momma
Edited to add:
Charlie's Stat's at 1 year-
Weight-22.2 lbs
Height 31 inches
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