dear henry

Dear Henry,
 I'm not even really sure where to start, I feel like I have so much to say and don't exactly know how to say it all. Tomorrow you will have been here with us for one month. It feels just like it was yesterday you arrived. Right now you are asleep on his lap while he watches sports center (you will grow to love watching this with him soon!), and you are smiling in your sleep. Daddy is beaming, so am I... you are so loved Henry, and you have certainly brought so much love into our lives.

 From the second you came into this world and we held you in our arms, you stole our hearts. At that moment I felt what it was like to be a mother, to have a son, and I know your Daddy felt the same way. I looked at your Daddy right after he said the three words we waited 9 months to hear, and have never loved him more than that very moment... "It's a boy!"

 Although you've only been here a short time, you're learning all sorts of things and teaching us many new things as well. We've figured out what your cries mean, and you know Mommy and Daddys voice. You are enjoying tummy time and your head/neck are getting very strong. You're not quite sure what to think of your brother Duke's kisses on your face, and your sister Chips is still kinda afraid of you. You all will be best buds as you start to get older. You haven't figured out the whole sleeping during the night thing, but it's ok. We'll figure it out eventually (Mommy just drinks a lot of coffee). You get very confused by your sneezes (which usually come in groups of three or more, just like Daddy!), and those darn hiccups make us laugh but I don't think you care for them very much (you used to get the hiccups all the time while you were in Mommy's belly!)

When I was pregnant with you, we called you "Hank"... we're not entirely sure why. Your name "Henry" was a name we both decided on, and is actually your great great grandpa Speckman and your great great grandpa Braasch's names. You can decide your nickname(s) later on (or your friends will do it for you)... but we will teach you about who Hank Aaron is (you still need to be a Red Sox fan though!) We did, however, know your middle name long before we decided on Henry as your first name. Just about two years before you were born, Daddy's brother passed away. We are very sad that you never got to meet your uncle Aaron... he was truly a wonderful man. You two would have gotten in a lot of trouble together for sure, and we will be sure that you know all about him as you grow up. We know that he is watching you as you grow up with us though, and he will look after you. You'll get to meet him one day.

 I know we still don't have this whole parenting thing down quite yet, but we're doing our best. I hope you'll understand one day if everything doesn't turn out perfect (we'll try not to screw you up too much!) I sing a lot, and probably always off key. Daddy smells funny sometimes and makes silly faces. You'll (hopefully) learn to love it all. Although you've gone to a few places already (the beach, your grandpa's convenient store, Catbird Creamery, and even Target- mommy's favorite place!) there is so much more out there for you to explore. I hope that we can give you all the opportunities for you to see the world.We might not always be able to give you everything you want, but I promise we will do our best to give you what you need.

 We are excited to watch you grow, question, discover, and learn. Take your time growing up, there's a lot to see and it all goes by way too fast.

All our love, forever,
 Mommy & Daddy