To my sweet boy, Gavin.
I've been wanting to write a letter to you for some time now, in the hopes of capturing these moments so that I don't forget all the details. Before you came into our lives, daddy and I couldn't agree on a name for you. I had my favorite and was hoping daddy would give in and he did...Gavin it was. I can still remember the fluttery kicks of you in my belly. I hope that memory never fades. When we brought you home, I wasn't sure how I was going to become a mommy, but your daddy (and of course, Mimi) helped pick me up when I was doubting my capabilities. God must have known, because it all came to daddy and I like we had been doing it for some time.
I loved feeding you your bottle and you'd look up at me and smile. There were plenty of nights as a newborn you would smile in your sleep, which made my heart melt. You were the happiest baby I've ever known. You very rarely cried. Though today, as I write this, I think you may be paying us back for being so wonderful! :) Nah, it's not that bad, but your terrible 2's started at about 18 months. Just about every picture I would take of you, you had a smile on your face. Like you thought the camera was just apart of who I was.
You are so loving and forgiving. You crave to be loved and daddy and I crave to love on you. You are such a big helper. For about a year now, you have been feeding our dog, Jade, 2 scoops of dog food. You want to know how everything works, how it's done, you kneel down to see when daddy is fixing something, you love to sweep (with it plugged in and it has to be on), do dishes, love to use the water hose, wash the car with daddy, take trash to the garbage...the list goes on. You give the BIGGEST hugs around the neck. You give kisses to just about everyone, including your Great Nana, which is so precious to witness...he's so gentle and sincere. Every animal makes you smile from ear to ear.
I think you ate baby food for about 2 weeks and then wanted whatever mommy and daddy were eating. You can eat the heck out of broccoli :)
You love motorcycles so much, you actually have a battle scar from sitting on one. (to the Shirley's--we forgive and love you, accidents happen!) You make this deep rumble sound every time you hear one go by. You love to wear motorcycle helmets, the leather jacket and leather gloves. Thank goodness Mr. Shirley has all the gear so you can play pretend. When airplanes pass over, no matter how bright the sun is, you'll find it, wave, and say bye-bye with that southern drawl. And I would then say, 'have a safe flight!'
You have more friends in our neighborhood than mommy and daddy combined. The high school kids see you out playing and immediately come over to see you. You so badly want to ride bikes with the boys and get so frustrated that you can't reach the peddles. You wave and say bye-bye with this southern accent, like we live in Tennessee. It brings a smile to your daddy and I every time. When daddy took his first little trip to West Virginia, he waved goodbye to me in the driveway and said bye-bye just like you...which brought me to tears and running back into the house. Just recently, you had given us a scare that you had sprained your ankle. Every time you would try to bear weight, you would cry. The thought of having to take you to the ER and try to keep you off your feet, broke our hearts. Luckily, you bounced right back and were galloping and jumping the next day.
I found this saying on a decorative piece that I knew I had to put in your room: A baby fills a place in your heart, you never knew was empty. I never knew I could love something so much. A mommy-son connection between us that I knew could only be shared by the two of us. And the same with your daddy and you.
You are more than we ever could have imagined a son to be. You fill our hearts with joy, love, and laughter. You remind us to live everyday to it's fullest and to be in the moment, to enjoy life in the now. Your daddy and I have been so blessed with you coming into our lives. And we want you to know we love you so deeply. You truly are our precious gift.