Little Si,
I’m smitten with you.
When your mom told us she was pregnant, I couldn’t quite wrap my head around it.
When I saw your mom at Christmas and her belly was starting to poke out a bit, I couldn’t quite wrap my head around it. And even when your Aunt Marion sent me pictures of the growing belly, the birthing tub, the midwives and at 5:55p on June 6th, you laying on your mom’s belly, I still couldn’t quite wrap my head around it.
I shed tears of excitement, joy (and OK, some of nervousness!) at various points over the past 9 months, but how could I ever imagined you?? How could I ever imagine how much I would love you?
Your Uncle Faris & I have plenty of friends with children we love, but you… You are this tiny, precious, red, flustered and unbelievably amazing bundle of joy. You smell delicious, your coos are quite possibly the cutest sounds I’ve ever heard and your skin… there’s some truth to that whole “soft as a baby’s bottom” saying ;)
And in case you haven’t figured it out yet, you are loved. You are so incredibly loved. Not just by me, but by our whole family.
I arrived in Seattle on Thursday, June 7th , the night after you were born. I flew from NYC and your Aunt Marion picked me up at the airport. The moment we arrived at 908 Cushman, I immediately stole you away from your Grandmother Juju. If it wasn’t love at first sight, it was love at first hold. You were meant to be cradled and cuddled. You were meant to be sniffed and tickle-scratched. And that baby voice that adults use that used to be so annoying? You were definitely meant to be spoken to in that voice.
And that’s what we’ve done for the past three days. You’re quite boob-obsessed at the moment – I’ve heard that part sticks with you for life ;) – but whenever I could get you away from your mom’s boobs (or your grandmothers or Aunt Marion), we had our moments. But I didn’t get enough!
Now I’m on a plane back to New York City and I’m already trying to figure out when I can come back and see you next! I can’t wait for your Uncle Faris to meet you! I didn’t know it was possible to be so head-over-heels smitten with you.
I know you’ll get bigger and bigger, but don’t worry – it’s not just your tiny-ness that I love. I can’t wait to see the guy you become. [We’re both Geminis and while horoscopes seem a bit hokey, I can’t help thinking that this means we’re going to get along especially well.] I can’t wait to hear about your favorite toys, your favorite color, your favorite class in school, your favorite bands, where you’re going to college, what you want to do with your life, who you’re dating, who you’re voting for… There’s so much of the world for you to discover! I promise to always love you and only to tease you when you need it ;)
‘Til next time, little guy. Don’t get too big just yet. And let your mom sleep a little bit, OK? She worked pretty freakin’ hard to bring you into the world!
Your ever-loving aunt,
rosie
PS – Your Aunt Marion and I were changing your diaper the other day while your mom was sleeping and you decided it would be the perfect time to pee. Yup, on us. We’re gonna hold that over your head for a long, long time. We’ll get you back someday ;)