Month One – Letter to Piper

Dearest Piper:

Mommy has a hard time believing that you are a month old today. Since you arrived time has stood still and days run into eachother. Don’t ask Mommy what the date is because she’ll have to check the calendar. The only other way that I am able to recall the date is based on your age. Your arrival an entire month early caught us off guard but we certainly were ready for you to join our world and our family. You have changed so much since we first saw you and you continue to change and get bigger every day.

Mommy loves our special quiet time after you have eaten when you lay on her chest and doze off to sleep. I will often hold you long after you have fallen asleep, kissing your head and enjoying the moment. I know there will come a day when you won’t want to snuggle up against me so I am taking it all in now. Part of me is worried about the “monster” I could be creating – there may come a day when you won’t be able to fall asleep without snuggling up against me. That, my girl, is a risk that I am willing to take.

My world has morphed into days full of wet and dirty diapers and moments of joy when we stare into eachother’s eyes. It is a far cry from putting on a suit and heading off to court – but I wouldn’t change it for anything. In fact, most days we don’t even get dressed until well into the afternoon. We have, however, made a point of getting out at least once each day. Kudos to Mommy.

Your nights, so far, are great! Your Daddy and I are so proud of you! You usually go to bed by 11:00 p.m. sleep until 2:00 a.m. get up and I feed you, snuggle you and put you back to bed. You then get up at 6:00 a.m. and Daddy feeds you, snuggles you (and so do I) and we try to put you back to bed. Sometimes you use that as your wake up time and stay up with Mommy until 7:30 or so. You really are a good little girl.

We are still swaddling you at night, which appears to work like a charm. During the day you sleep on your tummy and that works even better! I’d let you sleep on your tummy at night but those damn books I have read have ingrained the fear of SIDS deep inside of me – so no tummy sleeping at night just yet. When we do lay you on your back without swaddling you, your arms immediately go up above your head and stay there.

Pea, your Daddy and I waited so long for you and we want you to know that we love you so very much. A love that you won’t understand until you have a child of your own. One that we didn’t truly understand until that instant you were born, although we imagined what it would be like.

I look forward to the next month when you start to smile and coo. I look forward to starting swimming lessons with you and hopefully we will get to do that soon.

Mommy loves you, Sweetest Pea.

Love, Mommy.