The day you were born, I breathed a bit easier, and my heart healed where there had been a small crack in it. You are a child conceived in love absolutely. But also a child conceived in the heartbreak and pain of too many lost babies. A child that held the possibility of being the glue needed to mend broken hearts.
You did not disappoint. From the moment I got the first picture of you, and held this crazy electronic device that allowed me to see you, 6700 miles away, my heart seemed to fuse together.
I was lucky enough to have 3 beautiful babies. All born full term, and ready to wrap me around their little fingers. Easy babies. Home from the hospital and immediately onward, with the help of my sister, Mother, and in laws. I never had to question if I was doing everything okay. There were plenty of people to tell me if I wasn't. When I came to visit you in South Korea in February, that crack mended itself. Just this little peewee of a baby, you seemed to know me right away. Actually this story started out about you, but really it is about your Mom. She is my middle child, and her personality is completely that. Her older sister was the best child. We could take her anywhere, and she would sit and look at a book, or toy, and would be occupied with that. Your Momma came along, and she was like a hurricane. There was no taking her anywhere she had to stay still. So determined. she walked at an early age, because I think she knew there was a whole big world she needed to see and getting there by crawling was just not an option. Funny? Yes, we were sure that her goal in life was to make us laugh, and she did. When her younger sibling came along, she was the one that "mothered" her. Made sure that she had what she needed, and would sit and hold her hand while she slept.
She is musical. You are going to need to remind her of that when you are older. You are going to have to ask her to play the songs that she knows on her oboe, flute, and her whistles. Keep at her, because sometimes being an adult is tough and you lose part of yourself. She is also incredibly smart. She can repair a car, she taught herself how to do it. She also taught herself to sew, and is so crafty. All of those things in your room she put together. She also knows some airplanes inside and out, and she can fish like nobody's business. Again, she is incredibly smart, and you will need to ask her about these things. When she was a teenager, there was a time that I didn't like her very much. Sometimes her independence got in the way of logic, but hopefully she will remember all of that when you are a teenager, and it will help her understand you.
But you know what? She kept "growing up". And once we got past that bump in the road, we became friends as well. And she wanted a baby more than anything, she was determined. And what's funny is that you are just like your Momma. Determined. Yes, just a little peewee of a baby, but there you are holding your head up, and trying to figure out how to move those legs forward. The only time that I have seen your Momma falter, was in February. She was so scared for you. You came along and you were permanent. She was not used to that. Because you were born early, you had to stay in the hospital. So your Momma and Daddy, had to come back to the hospital to see you. You had tubes, and alarms, and wires everywhere. These things would make a seasoned parent quiver. But your Momma? She figured it out. Figured out how to talk to caregivers that did not speak the same language. Learned how to put a feeding tube in you. And she did all this without any help that new Momma's usually have. And you are so very lucky, her love for you is enormous.So today, when she comes to wake you and you are already awake in your crib just hanging out, think about all of this, And wish her a happy Birthday. because Birthday's are so very special. She will tell you that. and give her that half smile. The same one that she has.
And tell her how much I love her and could not be more proud of who she is. Tell her that Nene said "Happy Birthday, Pookie".