Dear Will,

On December 9, 2010, your naked, slimy body was placed up on my belly.  I just kept drying you off with the blankets and purposefully, lovingly, making you cry. I am a NNICU nurse. You will not be allowed to grunt and get yourself into the NNICU. I will make you scream every extra drop out of your lungs so that you are breathing perfectly. The doctor thinks I am a bit crazy for this sort of behavior.

Where on earth did you get all that luscious dark hair?

You got it from your mama.

You are loved immediately.

In December, you discover that you love baths. It does not take you long to learn how to splash, and subsequently get moved out of your cozy sink tub into the big tub where you could splash without creating a flood inside the house.  

 In January, I prop you up in the nursery rocker, dressed like your brother before, and act like a maniac to try to get some grins out of you. i am successful! Your smile lights up my world!

You are a little spitfire! You do not want to be wrapped up in your blanket. You are already rolling over.

 February comes along, and I am still trying to figure out how to help you sleep. You love your mama and only want to sleep when she is with you. However, my love, I can not do that.

I love you anyway.



In March, your personality blooms. You are such a joy to our lives.  

 Before there was you, Luke never knew he needed a brother. In April, he teaches you how to play trucks. Which is great fun until you learn how to take them away from him!

You are fascinated with your big brother.

 In May, Mama finally gives you cereal. Tasty treat! It doesn't help you sleep. We try everything--even some herbal concoction we buy off the internet. All it did was stain your shirt, blanket, sheets, burp cloth.

 In June you are starting to grow back some of your lost hair. Your baby mohawk is starting to fill in on the sides. Mama has already cut it twice to keep the long strands out of your eyes. There is no direction of comb over to combat this baldie look.

I love it!



In July Mama only takes one picture. Maybe the camera was lost? At least I got both the boys. You have been such a trooper this summer. Mama totes you all over the place getting Luke to classes at the rec center and swimming lessons. You nap on the go and eat on the fly. 

In August you are on the move. You are crawling--and fast! I can't catch you long enough to get your clothes on! But you are so darn cute, I don't care!

In September you are joyful! You go to nursery school once a week. You start to eat real food. There are six big teeth in that little mouth.



Come October, you are a little charmer! You are walking everywhere and making friends with everyone. You have no fear!

In November, you are climbing into things, onto things. but not so much off of things. You take a few dramatic falls a day, but are none worse for the wear. I have started a collection of pictures of you in/on things you are not supposed to be in/on or that you are stuck in/on.

I took to your hair with the big boy clippers after I was playing with it and realized I could put it into pigtails if you were a girl.

In December you are one! Such a big boy. You want to do big boy things and play with the big boy toys. You walk and climb up and climb down and are happy and get mad.

You put yourself to sleep and wake up mostly happy.

You love your blue blankie and your big brother.

You love your mama and your daddy.

You love your puppy and know how to pet nicely.

You don't talk yet, but you know the signs for "more" and "all done" and we are working on "please."

You bring joy to everyone around you.

You are a snuggler. You give great hugs and big sloppy wet open-mouthed kisses and just lay your head on my shoulder to say "hi. I missed you."

You love cheese and corn and yogurt and that's pretty much what you eat.



I love you and am so happy you came into my life!