Happy Birthday Aaron!

Dear Aaron,

You spent almost all of your time in the womb trying to claw and kick your way out and one year ago this very minute, you finally did it! You came screaming out and I felt an immediate sense of relief.

I had been waiting for you for much longer than just the 34 weeks you spent inside of me. I had been waiting for you for years. My first-born son, the boy I always longed for. You had been named in theory since I was in 7th grade and when I met Daddy, I was thrilled to know he also loved the name Aaron. I was thrilled to finally meet you after years of picturing you in my head.

You learned independence right from the beginning. In the NICU, it was you who was on CPAP and then under the lights, unable to be held for what seemed like the longest time. During your first few days at home you demanded that we make up for lost time and you wanted to be held quite often. But after just a few weeks, you regained your indepenence and you haven't lost it since. You play happily by yourself, you will comfort yourself to sleep, you were the first to refuse to be spoon-fed any longer - you must do everything yourself!

Right now, you have one and a half teeth and you are desperate - desperate! - to talk to us. You string together more sounds with more intonation...you must be saying something. If only I knew what. But Brady seems to know and that seems to make you very happy. You do say "Kayla", "Dog", "Dada" and you are working on signing "more" and "milk". I am still waiting for "Mama". Sure, you say "mamamamamamama" but it is not in reference to me. I know that you know I want you to say it by the way you laugh at me when I ask you to say it! It is the same look you give me right before you smack the TV screen with your hand or reach for an outlet.

Aaron, my brave, sweet boy. Every day you amaze me more and more: by yourself, with your sister and especially with your brother. I can't wait to see what the next year of your life holds for you.

I love you,
Mommy

Aaron Then:

Aaron Now: