Monday, October 19, 2015

An open letter to a little CarBar

To my dearest Carlie Barlie Boo,


There are two important things I need to discuss with you today.

Number 1: You are a ridiculously cute 1-month-old baby.

And believe me, you were ridiculously cute from your first second of life. I know. I was there. When the doctor pulled you out, even he looked overwhelmed by your cuteness.

(OK, to be honest, he looked shocked because you were bigger than we all expected you to be, but it could've been about the cuteness too. So let's go with that.)

(Lesson: Honesty is a good thing.)

That's you on your birth day, emanating cuteness.

I remember when your cousins Juancho and Martina were babies and I couldn't get enough of them either. I could watch you all day long (and I do, mind you) and never get tired of your face. Your squishy, perfect face.

When you get old enough to read this, remind me to teach you about 'bias'. It's mildly related to what I said above.


Number 2: It's your mommy's birthday today.

Long before you came into existence, about 8 years ago, I wrote a blog post about your mommy on her birthday. So if you want to have some idea of who she was before you, you can read all about it here.

But I want to talk to you about your mommy after she found out she was pregnant with you. 

Your mommy was so thoughtful that instead of being 100% excited, part of her felt a little bad because she knew that we wouldn't be able to do all the things we wanted to do on my US trip. I had really planned to visit her, even before she peed on a stick (Again, something I can explain to you later). She apologized that what was supposed to be a long vacation for me would turn out to be a babysitting gig instead. Not all people are selfless, Carlie. But your mother is.

Your mommy made this ze-raffe
(who's wearing your bib and foot flowers, btw)
Also, when I found out your mommy was pregnant, I wasn't worried at all. I knew she would prepare for your arrival like crazy. She took her vitamins and listened to her doctors and made sure you were safe and healthy inside her. You see those stuffed animals around you? She made those! She researched everything that you needed (and you needed/need a multitude of things!) and read up on pregnancy and all things related to it. She definitely knows more about pregnancy and early childhood than I do, and I'm a doctor! She can tell you about foremilk and hindmilk and the cause of frothy baby poop and why it's important to pace your never-ending feeding. I know you will always be able to rely on her. 

Your mommy is determined and competitive. These are not always good traits when she's on the opposing team (I know this from playing Wii and poker and made-up games with her) but because she will always be on your side, these will be your blessings. She successfully pushed all 8lb 12oz of you even when she was in so much pain from back cramps and intense heartburn (after an epidural!) because she's a fighter and she will do anything for you. If you need to pick teams someday, pick her first. I promise she won't take revenge on you for not letting her sleep during your first month of life.

Your mommy's great, Carlie. You're going to have a fun time knowing her, as much as she (together with your daddy) will have an unforgettable time knowing you. Pretty soon, she will be more than a food supplier or a diaper changer or a hug provider to you. 

To you, she'll be everything she is to me, and so much more.

So mark the date, Carlie. October 19. Greet her when you get the chance. Or when you start talking or something.

That's your mommy.
You're somewhere inside.

That's all. And have I mentioned how cute you are?

Love,
Mama Omie


**********
One last thing:

(I know I said I would discuss just two things, but people lie. Take note.)

Your mommy calls you, among so many other nicknames, 'CarBar'. That's short for 'Carlie Barlie', which I called you when you were still a fetus and caught on. Interestingly enough, with two strategically placed E's, 'CarBar' becomes 'CareBear'. This is significant for no other reason except  it allows me to segue into one of my favorite childhood stories about your mommy.

The first movie your mommy forced the whole family to watch was the Care Bears movie. She couldn't have been older than 10 at the time. Just a few minutes after the movie started, your mommy complained and wanted to leave, and we all said something like 'NO WAY! WE ARE GOING TO FINISH THIS MOVIE WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!' Which was ironic because the movie was about caring. And bears. The Care Bears. Look it up.

Lesson: Before asking to watch a movie, make sure you really, really want to see it. Your mommy has issues she's bound to take out on you.