A Letter to Jordan

Dear son,

      I don't even know where to start! I guess we'll start at the beginning. The very beginning. Your dad and I met in the fall of 2008 at Ace Hardware where we both worked. I thought he was really weird at first. You know your father, he loves his shoes and hats and basketball. Back then, he was so skinny. All of his clothes were falling off of him, and he wore the same pair of wind pants almost every day! The reason why he dressed so weird is another story for another day. But after a while, your dad and I started talking a little here and there, mostly about work. You'd be surprised about how much Mom knows about tools and hardware! And then I met your sister! I fell in love with her and your dad at the same time, and it's all downhill from there. We got married in December of 2009 one week after he graduated from college. I graduated the following May, and guess what? We found out just weeks later that I was pregnant!

January 31, 2011

      I felt your first kick right around 20 weeks (you were very strong!), and at 24 weeks the doctor told us you were definitely a boy! You were the wiggliest little baby every. I would get sick to my stomach sometimes from all those somersaults you were doing in there! We didn't have a name picked out until a month before you were born. We chose Jordan after Daddy's favorite basketball player, Michael Jordan. And your middle name came randomly from a baby book. We almost named you Kristian! We decorated your bedroom in Noah's Ark (we even let Ali help paint some of the walls!) and got everything just right for the Big Day. On Monday, January 31st, exactly 6 days before our due date, we went to the doctor for a
regular checkup. Doesn't that day sound familiar? The doctor said you had performed some serious acrobatics over the weekend--you had flipped the wrong direction, silly boy! Due to a snow storm that was headed our way, the doctor felt it was best to go ahead and schedule a c-section. That night, at 7:01 p.m., you arrived in Valley View Hospital during a massive snow and ice storm. You weighed 7lbs 2oz, 18 inches long. Ten tiny fingers, ten tiny toes, and the most beautiful little baby I'd ever seen. And look at all that hair!

      Our first few weeks together were a blur. Daddy had to go back to work, so it was just you and me at home. Your favorite things to do were eat, poop, and sleep on Mommy. We had lots of visitors during that time, how blessed you are to have such a loving circle of friends and family! They brought us presents, food, and lots of hugs and kisses. 

      You grew so quickly, we couldn't keep up with you! Here you are at three weeks old. Can you see how much you'd already changed? Our little baby was growing up already. You hated, and I mean HATED, bath time. This went on until you were about 6 months old, and then you liked it for a while, and then suddenly at 7 months you went to hating it again, and then at 9 months, you liked it again. Talk about picky! =) 

Look at your forehead!!

      When you were just 3 months old, we made our very first special trip to the emergency room! It was all Daddy's fault! Ok, really, it was all Mommy's fault; Dad was sleeping innocently in the bedroom. You had woke up very early one morning (like 5 o'clock early), and I decided to put you in your swing (you loved looking in the mirror on it!). So I put you in the swing (thinking you'd fall asleep) and went back to bed. Half an hour later, Daddy and I heard a loud "THUMP" and then the unmistakable sound of you crying. We jumped out of bed and ran into the living room to find you face down on the floor; you had WIGGLED out of your swing and bumped your head on the DVD stand! We rushed you to the emergency room (good thing we live two blocks from the hospital!) and, three hours and two x-rays later, the doctor told us you were absolutely fine. And guess what? This would not be our last visit to the ER!

Your first tooth!

      Shortly after that incident, several things happened. You got your first tooth AND your very first ear infection! Your teeth came in way early and you drooled on everything. You were about 4 months old by now, and I had taken you to work with me one day (I finally went back to work in April) and you were lying in the floor talking up a storm (jibber jabber this, jibber jabber that). You were supposed to be napping but, of course, you wanted to play. I was taking a picture of you to send to Daddy, and guess what? I got a snapshot of your very first tooth! I couldn't believe it! Although Dr. Metry told us that teething didn't cause ear infections, I still had my suspicions. Your first ear infection came at the same time as the tooth, and it was the most horrible experience ever! You would cry and cry and cry, and we knew it must be so painful. But after a few days of antibiotics, you were good as new. Unfortunately, this wouldn't be the last of your ear problems. You got another infection two months later, and then a double infection two months after that one. I guess this would be a good time to tell you about your second real visit to the emergency room...

6 months old

      At about 6 months old, when you had your second ear infection, Dr. Metry was on vacation and I couldn't find another pediatrician to see you. I knew something was wrong; you cried and cried like you were in a lot of pain. So Mommy took you to Urgent Care and they put you on some antibiotics. Four days later, you weren't any better and now you had broke out in a rash all over your body. At 2 in the morning, after several hours of crying, we headed back to Valley View emergency room. It turned out that you were allergic to the medicine, and instead of getting better, you were getting worse! So we changed antibiotics, and a week later, your ears were better and the rash was gone. Phew, what a relief! 

    Now, son, I'm leaving out a lot of stuff. When you're growing up as fast as you have, it's hard to keep up with everything. Like when you first went to daycare at 3 months old and Mommy returned to work; I cried everytime I dropped you off for two weeks! Or that your best friend, from the moment you were born, was your sister. You and Ali are two peas in a pod. You might not believe that someday, but trust me, I have the pictures and videos to prove it! Or like how you had to take medicine for colic, or how you had an umbilical hernia (that was actually your very first trip to the emergency room, but who's counting?). And your very first time to roll over, we were so proud! You started crawling when you were seven months old, and started pulling up just a couple weeks later. By this time, you had SIX teeth! Two on bottom and four on top. You started eating baby food at four months, and solids at six. You had so many teeth you could pretty much eat anything you wanted! And you hated eating things from a jar; you'd cry until Mom or Dad gave you food off our own plates (with a fork, because your spoon obviously wasn't good enough!). 

Halloween 2011

      In October, at 9 months old, you got to celebrate Halloween for the first time. Sister was a fairy princess (which she wanted to be every single year!) and you were the cutest little puppy dog the world has ever seen. We went trick-or-treating (sorry, we didn't let you have any candy!) and saw some really scary houses! You slept through the entire night, though, and Mommy had to carry you everywhere. 

      Thanksgiving came and went, and we were able to see lots of family during that time! You have so many people that love you! And then we got to celebrate your very first Christmas and the birth of our Lord and Savior. We were so lucky to be able to go to church that day and celebrate Jesus! Your first Christmas came and went too quickly, if you ask me.

December 2011

      On New Year's Eve, we had friends over to celebrate. We don't generally let you stay up late, but you seemed determined to be awake to say goodbye to 2011! And guess what? Mom got two New Year's kisses: one from Dad and the other from you!
 
     On January 1, 2012, you decided to start sleeping through the night, but this only lasted for about a week! Nonetheless, we knew you were just trying to give Mom and Dad a break--we got so much sleep that week! You also started walking. Daddy got to see you take your very first steps--you were trying to get your hands on his iPhone! Mom and Dad decided to become members of Community FWB Church around this time; everyone was so happy!

Eating your birthday cake :)

       And now we are celebrating your first birthday. I can't believe how much you've grown since that cold and snowy January night one year ago. Wasn't it just yesterday we were carrying you out of the hospital? Giving you your very first bottle? Your first bath? Taking you to the emergency room? You'll be walking, and then running, and before you know it, you'll be graduating from Kindergarten. Daddy predicts you'll win all kinds of awards for breaking state shooting records in basketball when you reach High School. I wonder what you'll be when you grow up. A basketball player? A scientist? A teacher? A dad? Just know that you can be anything you want to be, but nothing comes easy. Remember to work hard for everything you want in life, and to always give God the glory for everything you have. Life goes by so fast, Jordan. Treasure every single moment of it.

      I love you more than I can say. You'll always be Mommy's little boy. Always.

Love, Mom