My sweet, sweet baby girl,
I’ll never be able to put into words how much you’ve changed my life for the better. I’ll never be able to fully explain my love for you. But before your little brother arrives, I’m going to try my hardest to explain my appreciation for you and pray you never doubt any of it.
Bringing you home from the hospital absolutely petrified me. You can do all the research you want regarding newborns, but it’s never enough to fully prepare you.
You were tiny, yet mighty. You were such a sweet baby that you really didn’t make my life very difficult at all. Sure, we had our sleepless nights together, but looking back, I loved them all. It was hard. There were plenty of tears from both of us. But you taught me patience. Patience I never knew I had before.
I think we really bonded around month four. We had a routine. You were my shopping buddy. My napping partner. My travel buddy. You loved to cuddle. You loved to sing. Your laugh was and still is absolutely contagious. I’ve been blessed to be able to be a stay-at-home mama and although there were long days, I wouldn’t trade them for anything. I was able to experience all your “firsts” with you and for that, I am forever grateful.
Before you were born I always assumed you would be a “daddy’s girl” but to my surprise, it has been the opposite (for now at least!) We have a bond and connection that I adore and never take for granted. You come running to me for any and everything. Though that can sometimes be overwhelming, I hope it never changes.
I want to thank you for all of your patience during these past 9 months of my pregnancy. I know when we first explained that you had a baby brother on the way it probably didn’t make much sense. Yet you still showed excitement and have ever since.
That first trimester you spent a lot of time on your iPad or watching Disney Jr. so I could rest. Not once did you complain. I felt terrible that I wasn’t “doing enough” and was “failing as a mom” during that first trimester, yet each morning you woke up ready to do whatever was in store for the day. I can’t thank you enough for that.
You never make me feel inadequate and have always made me feel on top of the world.
As my belly started to grow, you became a protective big sister reminding me to not “sit things on my tummy because baby brother was in there!” (Big bellies do make the best shelves for cereal bowls!) You rub my belly and tell baby brother you can’t wait for him to “come out and play with you.” I can’t wait for you to have that either.
I’m not going to lie, I still can’t picture my life with two children. He’s due any day now and it scares me that things will be too drastic of a change for both of us. But I know deep down I’m so wrong. He’s going to be the luckiest little boy to have you as a big sister. And I know the first time I see you both together my heart is going to melt.
I hope and pray you will still be as patient with me after he’s here as you were during the 9 months of growing him. I know we will adjust and I know our bond will still be as strong as ever, but it’s scary for me to know that some days you may not feel as “important” or that you’ve gotten enough attention. Please know that will absolutely never be my intention no matter how crazy these first few months will be. We will just start a new routine like we did a couple years ago. Except this time we get to add someone else to our crew. We got this. We always have.
Thank you for making me such a happy mama sweet Ava. You absolutely light up any room you’re in and make anyone in that room feel so loved. You’re brilliant, kind, loving, hilarious, strong-willed, and a genuinely sweet little girl.
I’m forever grateful for you and hope you never forget that no matter what this next journey looks like, you are loved, you are appreciated, and you will always mean the absolute world to me.
Love,
Mommy
*Photography by Katie Spellman
www.spellmanphotography.com
