You are one month old today! It has been a wild and crazy time and I've wanted to sit down and really write for awhile now and am finally just carving out some time to do it. I have a lot to tell you about!
First of all, your name, sweet baby. Asher Gerald. Daddy and I waited until we found out you were a boy to start talking about names for you. I was very particular about what I wanted and Daddy was amused enough by my list of requirements to just let me try to make it happen. I wanted another Old Testament name (to go with Samson) but I didn't want it to sound like we were trying to raise an army. I didn't want it to start with the letter "S" or end with the "on" sound. I wanted it to be slightly uncommon but not so unique no one would remember it or be afraid to try to say it. I wanted it to be strong and solid so someday when all someone knows of you is on your resume, they still take you seriously. I found a list of Old Testament boy names someplace and "Asher" was on it and I loved it right away! It means happy and blessed. Daddy liked it alright and really liked the meaning. We stayed open to the possibility of another name that we liked popping up, but I really felt like it was your name right away.
At your first growth ultrasound, Dr. Schwope told us there was some mild concern about the placement of the umbilical cord because it wasn't exactly centered. She said we would just need to monitor you a little bit to make sure you were getting all the nutrients you needed. Then at your next growth ultrasound, when the baby is typically around one pound, the estimate of what you weighed was FOUR pounds. I figured you were pretty happy and blessed in there! Daddy said he thought God was honoring our name choice for you. And I told that story once to some friends at dinner but we kept your name basically a secret until the day you were born.
Gerald comes from my great-grandfather. He was my mom's dad's dad and he only just died this past summer. I have so many memories of him, from when I was just a little kid to introducing Daddy to him. He lived a tremendous life and was active until just months before he finally had to give in to COPD. I hope that when I get old, I get old like Granddaddy Hicks. I hope to hone my gardening skills to get close to his talents and know that Daddy will take you and your brother fishing. When he died this summer, both Daddy and I were surprised by how hard it hit us. We thought the best way to honor him and the relationships we had with him was to name our son after him. I know he'd be tickled about that and would have proudly told anyone who would listen that your middle name was his first name.
You were 10 lbs 13 oz and 22 inches tall at birth and born at 39 weeks. Through all the ultrasounds, I caught one glimpse of your handsome little face because all the other times you covered it with your hands or feet or sometimes both! It was very fitting that one of the very first pictures taken of you after being born you put your hand up on your face. I'll write about how you were born and our hospital stay at another time, but suffice it to say, it seems like I can't really do anything without ending up with a good story to tell after it's all done.
Something I absolutely love about you is that despite you being bigger than the average newborn, you curl up like a little roly poly baby when I pick you up and put you on my shoulder. You are so snuggly! I love holding you and breathing your baby smell in deep. You have a decent amount of the softest hair I've ever touched in my life. It's kind of dark brown right now and your eyes are mostly blue. I don't know that either is going to stay that color, but I can't wait to find out! You have chubby and velvety soft cheeks and are a long baby. Your torso, your legs, your fingers, your neck, everything is long. Your baby pictures look remarkably similar to my baby pictures, but at the same time I know you definitely have Daddy's chin. It's only been a month and you've already grown from fresh new baby into a handsome baby boy. Your hair might end up dark like Daddy's or lighter than mine, it might be straight or curly or somewhere inbetween. You might tower over us when you're done growing or you might just be the same height as me. You might use those long fingers to fill out a baseball glove or palm a basketball or play the guitar or write. Whatever you look like and whatever innate talents you have and skills you develop, I will always be ridiculously crazy about you.
You have an older brother, Samson, who is completely crazy about you. He just calls you "Baby" and talks to you when you cry and is very concerned when he doesn't know where you are. He likes to put too many blankets on you and runs to get a pacifier. He is excited to teach you how to play trains and trucks when you get older. You are very little to be smiling at people on purpose, but I saw you smile at Samson as he talked to you the other day and I really think it was genuine. I am excited and daunted to be raising brothers. I hope you two will be very good friends more often than the times that you annoy each other. I hope Samson always runs to find something to comfort you when you're upset and that you always smile at him even when it seems impossible.
I will scoop you up in just a minute and kiss your head, just because I can. I'll wish for a little bit more sleep but be thrilled that you're my son and I'm your mama. I love you, Asher. Here's to your first month!
Love, Mama
No comments:
Post a Comment