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Parenthood, Young Married Mom

January 19, 2011

Dear Jacob III

Dear Jacob,

 

Your Grandma TT told us that the Chinese translation of “Jacob” is “excellent in one hundred corners.”  As we get to know you more, I’m beginning to see that translation is a gross underestimation.

 

Although I’m noticing that you are fussier on some occasions than you used to be—especially as I attempt to introduce some sort of schedule into your young life—most people who meet you comment on what a happy baby you are.  And it’s true: you really are a happy little guy, smiling and laughing through a good portion of each day—especially when I play with your feet or pretend to eat your toes—and sometimes night, too!

 

One night earlier this week, you wouldn’t fall asleep until one-fifteen am.  In the past, that sort of thing has been somewhat stressful for me, but this time, that wasn’t the case.  You were awake, yes, but you were in your crib, smiling and laughing the whole time.   I guess you just weren’t sleepy enough yet, but you weren’t making any sort of objection about it.  I didn’t mind being up with you at all, because that smile of yours makes my heart simply light up.

 

More often in the mornings, you are waking up happy instead of hungry.  I wake to the sounds of you cooing through the monitor, and when I go in to your room, I find you gazing up at me, smiling when you see my face.  This, for the record, is officially the greatest thing in the entire world.  I love to scoop you up and have your still somewhat drowsy little arms drape across my shoulders.  You get snugglier every day.

 

I also love that you smile when I sing to you—sometimes even when you’re in the middle of nursing!  That gummy grin is way better than any rock-star-wowing-Madison-Square-Garden dream I harbored in my younger years.

 

You are starting to do more on your own these days.  It’s an honor and a privilege to witness the milestones of your growing up.  I love cheering you on with each new thing you do.  Today you picked up a toy in both your hands—the better to chew on it—while propped up in a chair, and I proudly snapped a photo to send to your daddy.

 

You’re starting to reach for things more, too—my glasses when my face is close to yours, the pacifier when it’s in your mouth.  You can take the pacifier out now, but you stick the whole thing in your mouth at an awkward angle when you try to put it back.  You’ve also started to reach for my finger, wrap your own hand around it, and then tug the whole package back into your mouth.  I suppose other people’s fingers are more delicious than your own.  I guess I’ll take that as a compliment.

 

Jacob, you are so loved, and every day I am more and more grateful to be your mom. You are our precious little boy, and I hope you always know how greatly you are loved.

 

God has blessed us tremendously with you, and each day I pray that we can teach you the values and priorities that take you from happy baby to happy little boy to happy young man and beyond.  You are growing quickly; I’ve packed away so much clothing already because it doesn’t fit you anymore.  You are both so big and so small to us—a mystery that unfolds a little more each day.

 

I do wish we could move your bedtime a bit earlier, say, five hours or so, but that’s just a detail.

 

With all my heart,
Mom

(Like Baby Bear’s chair, this feels just right now!)

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