Henry David,

On Monday night (Tuesday morning) at 1am while rocking you to sleep, I thought back exactly six months to those beautiful, monumental hours as you made your way into the world. Six months ago. That day feels like yesterday, only you’re twice as big. And I have to try really hard to remember a day without your sweet face, so I guess that means it’s really been that long.

I am amazed.

I could say this daily and it would still be true. Amazed, amazed, amazed. You, who are so dynamic and so expressive and so aware, are my miniature companion. My very own little bug. You are a delight at every turn. And we have been soooooo lucky. Like, how-do-I even-begin-to-count-my-stars-and-how-did-God-know??? kind of lucky. But you aren’t luck, and of course God knew. He knew the ins and outs of days, he knew what my heart would need in so many moments, he knew that I would melt a thousand times a minute at the sight of you who He always planned would be ours. 

Ours. As in, we get to keep you for as long as God will allow. Wow, does that make us blessed!

Henry David, you are the answer to a million prayers.

And now that you’re growing into your own opinions and tastes, likes and dislikes, there are whole new parts of you to learn every day. You’re exploring the world a bit more on your own terms, and I’m just trying to celebrate all of the little things as they come. You are inquisitive, calculating. You look everything over and take it all in. Your laugh is the best sound I have ever set ears on. Your smile is contagious. You make friends with strangers everywhere we go (we’ll talk about that soon enough:). No one can decide who you look like, because you’re such a good blend.

Our favorite time of day is when you wake up and peek over the side of your crib, ready to meet all that awaits you. And on the flip side, bath time, family story time and pajama time before bed are equally as sublime. You soak in every story book as though it were written just to captivate you. At times I could be convinced it’s true…

Still the cuddle bug you’ve always been, we could curl up for hours when you’re sleepy, and I’m taking it all in while I can. I know you’ll be crawling and walking and running around in a blink–you’re already a squirmy worm when you’re ready to play. I hope I’ll be able to keep up with you, Henry David, but nothing would thrill me more than you watch you create your own pace, have your own dreams, go after your own adventures. I trust you will.

We pray for you daily, sweet boy. We pray that you will know God’s love, and that you will hunger for it. That you will seek truth and do what is right. That you will be healthy and protected and blessed. And we pray for an abundance of joy. Oh, do we want you to be joyful!

There is nothing in this world you can’t do, Hank. And with God’s help, whatever it is you set out to do, begin it. You are determined. Resilient. Loved beyond measure. The next six months stretch out ahead of us, and in them, you will grow and flourish and continue to humble us, no doubt. Beyond your first birthday, the world will be your oyster; you, our pearl. It is the greatest privilege in the world to be your parents. I trust someday you’ll know…

happy half birthday (on the 25th;), hank the tank. love you forever,

mommy