A Love Letter To My Son On His Second Birthday

My Darling Joaquín,

On this day at 5:56 PM, exactly two years ago, my life changed forever. As I write this, I will try my best not to cry at the thought of how fast time moves and how much I wish I could turn back the clock, so that I am able to relive it all over again. Etched in my heart are those first hours after you were born. Your daddy and I would gaze at you, then at each other, and no words needed to be spoken, for we both knew life would never be the same and any joy we felt or sense of accomplishment we had would always pale in comparison to the miracle you are to us.

Each day you grab a hold of this world in a way that every living being should embrace it, with pure unadulterated joy and wonderment. From the moment we locked eyes, oh those beautiful eyes, I knew you were destined for greatness! You see and have always seen life, not as a noun, but as a verb. When you could only lie, you looked up in awe of all that was before you. When you could sit, this new perspective brought you an entire 360° view of newness, which you soaked in. As you were learning to crawl, you would squeal in frustration, because you so badly wanted to know what was around the corner and I could tell your brain was ready to explode from curiosity. I should have foreseen that you would skip walking in favor of running, as this new form of independence has been the greatest feeling on earth to you. Your soul became alive the moment you took your first step.

Somehow you turning two has made me feel like I no longer have a baby, rather a toddler, and I am simply not ready for you to grow up. As I woke up this morning and I saw you on the monitor standing in your crib waiting for me to come and get you, I was gently reminded of all that you teach me: that life is an adventure every year, every month, every day, every hour, and every second. Your face lit up as I walked into your room — it always does when you see your mom — and it occurred to me that you turning two was not the end of one journey and the start of another; it was a page in the same journey in the same story and I once again felt the way I did in that moment the doctor laid you on my chest for the first time. You will forever be my baby, my miracle, my greatest love, and my inspiration to be and do things that are much bigger than I could have ever imagined. While I will never be ready for you to grow up, I am so excited and so grateful beyond measure that I get to spend every day along side of you.

I am the luckiest and proudest mom. Everything I do in life, I do for you (please remember that the next time you throw a tantrum). My wish for your Birthday is that you will stay as sweet as you are today, and happy and healthy always. I promise to love you unconditionally, support your dreams no matter how big or small, and to embarrass you nonstop with kisses and hugs.

Happy second Birthday, my gorgeous baby boy! I love you more than you will ever truly know,

Mommy

Andi Perullo de Ledesma

I am Andi Perullo de Ledesma, a Chinese Medicine Doctor and Travel Photojournalist in Charlotte, NC. I am also wife to Lucas and mother to Joaquín. Follow us as we explore life and the world one beautiful adventure at a time.

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