Dear Emmett -
I'm writing to you on your first birthday to tell you how much I love you. I know, I know. You're so used to your mama telling you this, that it seems normal! But I have to recount the last year and how amazing it has been to bear witness to.
I know I've told you before, but you were hard to come by! Your daddy and I struggled to get pregnant with you and when we did it was a total surprise. Since birth, you have shown us, again and again, your stubborn side. And I like to think it was that stubbornness that made you hang on and make it all the way to your birth date!
I remember those first few days with you at the hospital...though they get hazier and hazier with every passing day. You were tiny and LOUD! One of the nurses told us that you didn't sound like the other newborns (
umm, yeah, your parents are pretty loud, too!). When we came home, despite your
teensy weensy little body, you were totally in charge. Over the next few months your mama and daddy slowly but surely rearranged their lives around you and everything your being entailed. Sleepless nights? Check! Worried days? Check! Moments of ridiculous adoration??? Check! Check!
You have spent the last year growing into a funny little guy with loads of personality. We thought you were so adorable when you came home from the hospital...ha! If we only could have seen the little ham you've become. You have the best blue eyes and the most adorable dimples. Every time I'm out and about with you, people stop to comment on your mischievous grin and killer dimples...so I know it's not just me!
The past few months have been action packed for you: you've learned how to army crawl, and now really crawl. You've had your bottom two teeth come in and now your top two teeth are poking through! In the last week or so you've even started to pull yourself up into a standing position...walking can't be far behind. You let us know when you're unhappy, either with a crazily shrill shriek or with your newest temper tantrum style (legs kicking, BIG crocodile tears, and lots of yelling). It's really, really hard not to laugh...though I feel like this might make you even angrier.
The poor dogs were just getting used to you, as a baby, being in the house. Your newest trick with Ginger is to lay still on the floor looking at her, and then when she seems comfortable, lunge at her and crawl as fast as you can She is not such a fan of this move and tends to run off, skittering across the floor. You actually laugh at her when she does this... Olive, on the other hand, is locked in a constant battle with you over who will be the one to eat the dog food out of her bowl. Some days, if I'm not watchful enough, you totally have her beat! Other days, mainly the days I lock her food dish with her in the kitchen, she totally owns you. Sorry, but dogs have to eat, too!
Some of your favorite people are your two uncles. Both Joe and Charles can get you to smile when no one else can. When they come in the house, you light up and grin all big at them! they love you a lot, too, and will do anything they can to make you smile.
Recently, you've been going through a phase where strange things startle you and you begin to cry. Strange things like,
kazoos. Yup. It's true. The coffee grinder is also not a favorite, though you can manage if I warn you it's about to happen ("ready, E, ready?"). I think you'll grow out of this soon enough, but for now it's a little bit nice to have to cuddle you so often.
I can't wait to see what this next year brings...you are sure to keep surprising us and showing us what you're made of!
I love you so, so much, little man -
Love,
Mama