Sunday, January 3, 2010

One Month Old

Dear Autumn,

At this point you mostly eat and sleep, except at nights when you are wide awake. You are darling and cuddly in every way that a baby should be. You smell like a dream, you have the softest skin, and your big blue eyes melt my heart. You have amazing head control and are very alert for such a tiny little thing. You already seem so curious about the world around you and I couldn't be more in love with you.

I wanted to tell you about your name. Autumn Mary-Hazel is a mouthful, I know. I'm one of those awful parents who has misused my naming power by subjecting you to a lifetime of having to explain yourself. But here's the deal: As long as I can remember I have wanted a daughter named Autumn. For me fall is the season I wait for all year long. The smells, the colors, the crackling of leaves, the crisp air, the anticipation of holidays, the excitement of a new school year with crisp clean paper and sawdust smelling sharpened pencils... My heart feels content in autumn like at no other time. I swear every year that I'm not going to wish the year away, but then I do anyway. My soul craves autumn. I recently read about a survey where 63% of all people consider fall their favorite season, but I like to pretend it's my thing. Your dad wasn't 100% on board with your name until we met a gorgeous blond rodeo princess named Autumn, but that's a different story. You, like the season, are a breath of fresh air with the promise of endless possibility and potential

Your middle name is after your two grandmas. Mary who is strong and independent and will fight to the death for what she believes in. She is the most giving person I've ever met, and if there is any goodness in me as a person, I owe it to your grandma Mary. Hazel is kind and good and has unlimited patience. She can make any plant or animal thrive and is never confrontational. As a mother, I want nothing more than for you to be a strong and intelligent woman who follows your own path in life, but for me it is essential that you do it with dignity and kindness. Mary and Hazel are very different from each other, but I hope that you will take the strengths from each of them and use your name as a reminder of the great heritage they have given you. When I look at you I have nothing but confidence that you will be amazing.

Autumn, I couldn't be more thrilled to be your mother. After 9 months of imagining what you would be like, you are better than anything I could dream of. You are so loved by your mom, your dad, and a big brother. We are so grateful that you have come into our lives.

Love, Mom


Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.
George Eliot

4 comments:

Smith Clan said...

Have you seen Coraline? "She's a peach, she's a doll". So cute.

Lbrtychic said...

She is a doll. I am so jealous....really if I lived closer to you, you might need to be worried. {I would come steal her} I love the onsies and the bear picture. She's so cute. Enjoy every minute.

MaryRuth said...

I love that you write letters to your babies... I wish I'd done it. Soooooo cute!! I love the pictures!!

The Boone Family said...

I've kind of dropped off the radar with my blog stalking. I just read this post and I loved it. Made my heart happy. She's a jewel of a Nelson. :) And I love her little face. I was just looking at some pictures of Calvin and they look like siblings, but she's got the biggest eyes! I hope you're doing well my favorite Nelson. Love you!