Happy Fourth Birthday Gavin!

Dear Gavin,
Every moment of the last four years has been an adventure! You have brought incredible joy to my life and I’m so grateful for the lessons you’ve already taught me—and I had (and still have) a lot to learn!

You quickly taught us the importance of being prepared. Bringing you into this world was not at all what we expected…but should have known if wasn’t going to be easy. On Nov. 22, 2005, Daddy and I went to Guggy and Papa’s so that I could have a blessing. Daddy stumbled and struggled trying to find the right words to give me peace and assure all of us that we all would be safe. And that was not at all how it turned out.

November 23 was almost three full weeks before your due date, and you were not ready to come. After almost six hours of labor the doctors realized (albeit WAY later than they should have) that you were double breach. Your heart rate was low, my heart rate and blood pressure were low. They rushed me straight to the operating room, knocked me out and you were born eight minutes later. Daddy wasn’t even there and I was asleep. You were healthy, but so, so, so bruised! You were black and blue from your elbows to your toes.

It took me a couple of days to realize you were actually my baby…

The next major lesson we learned was selflessness. Newborns are supposed to sleep all the time. You didn’t sleep at all. You were awake all day, you were awake all night. One day you slept a total of two hours. We were so worried.

I held you all day, I held you all night. When I didn’t hold you, Daddy or Grandma or Guggy did.

And when I wasn’t holding or feeding you, I was changing your blow outs. You pooped on everything you owned, every outfit I owned, and three feet across the room and down the blinds. And when we weren’t cleaning up poop, we cleaned up barf.

But it wasn’t that you cried all day, you just didn’t sleep. Every time a light turned on, you woke up and turned toward it. If the blinds were open you stared at the sunlight. We all wondered if you were saying goodbye to loved ones we took you away from too soon.

Then you taught us joy. We loved your goos, giggles, and wiggles. We made up stupid songs, raps and noises. We shook our booties and your booty. We watched Baby Einstein until our eyes exploded and Cars until we could quote it. And most of all, we read stories.


Honest pride came easily. You were—and are—such a beautiful child. People stop us in the stores to comment on your incredible blue eyes. Not only are you handsome, but you are so smart, funny, creative and a little bit sarcastic. You are an undeniable perfectionist. When you put your mind to doing something, you never do it wrong!

And that mind…when it’s set, no one changes it! I hope that Daddy and I can help you make up your mind to ALWAYS do what’s right. Keep looking toward that light, Gavin!

I can’t say that we’ve learned patience yet. It’s still something both Daddy and I work on every day. Hopefully your fourth year of life we’ll be better at patience, and you’ll stop trying it quite so much!

We’ve got the “love” lesson pretty much under control. You are pretty easy to love! You love to cuddle, snuggle and read stories. And you love your baby sister like any big brother should—intensely and overprotective, tempered with a good portion of teasing.

You make our home a happy place and me a better person.

Love always,
Mommy