A Letter To My Baby

This post is sponsored by Huggies.

With my first two children, I kept pregnancy journals full of tender letters of my hopes and dreams for them, which I read to them when they were born and continued to write in until they were about 5 years old. I didn’t want to forget the anticipation and excitement I felt as I got to know them. The third time around, with our late-in-life surprise baby, I’m not as structured, a bit more tired, yet no less excited. We stocked the new elephant-themed nursery with super-soft clothes, tiny diapers, and tons of books. I still haven’t bought a pregnancy journal or baby book for him, but here’s a letter I wrote to Baby Andrew while I awaited his arrival:

Dear Baby,

Welcome to the big world, sweet boy! You are the most wonderful gift your dad and I could have wished for. The past nine months we’ve been trying to remember what having a newborn is like — setting up the nursery, buying baby gear for the first time in more than a decade, and waiting to see your sweet face. The new sonograms are so clear we feel like we already know what you look like. We wonder if we will know how to rock, soothe, and entertain a baby again.

What has changed, and what is the same? Will it all come back to us like riding a bike? I’m guessing so, as I start to sway back and forth just thinking about it! I’ve got to believe we wouldn’t have been given the sacred privilege to parent you if we wouldn’t also be equipped to take care of you, no matter how tired we’ll be.

What will your interests be? Can I steer you toward baseball and soccer, like your brother and sister, or will you introduce us to something entirely different, entirely YOU? What will ignite your passions? What will stir your faith? Will I finally have to understand the world of dinosaurs and superheroes? Will you be outgoing or more reserved? What will your voice sound like?

Oh, Baby, please know you are already loved and cherished, from your nose to your tiny toes. You are the perfect addition to this family, and I can’t wait to meet you!

Love,

Mom

P.S. I may be a bit older than a lot of the other moms, but I’ll love you forever, and as my mother said to me, “I’ll be the best mom you’ll ever have!”

I still marvel at how quickly it all came back, beginning with that very first hug I gave slippery little Andrew when they placed him on my chest. His big round eyes locked with mine, and quickly our breathing matched. In the weeks that have followed, the chance to slow down to give and get snuggly baby hugs every single day has been the most wonderful surprise of my life, making him feel secure and filling a gap in my life I didn’t even know existed. I’m glad I knew to choose Huggies Little Snugglers Diapers because they are inspired by hugs and helped me embrace my time with my little snuggler.

“Huggies^® believes deeply in the Power of Hugs. The simple, loving act is proven to support babies’ emotional and physiological well-being. Huggies^® diapers and wipes are inspired by a parent’s hug — to nurture baby with care, cradle baby in comfort and surround baby in protection. Make sure you embrace baby’s bottom with Huggies^® Little Snugglers Diapers to deliver our best skin care to help keep baby’s skin clean and healthy. Learn more at Huggies.com. #HuggiesCouncil”