Charles at 3 Months...

Dear Charles,
My beautiful sweet boy, how big you are growing!  How could it be that these past three months have flown by so quickly?  I often think of that day when you surprised me, the day you snuck into the world unexpectedly.  Are you going to be my child of surprises??  What a wonderful gift you have been to our family.  Your brothers love you so very much and shower you with hugs and kisses of adoration...

When they wake up in the morning, the first thing they do is run to find me asking, "Mom, where is Charles?" Often you are still asleep and they gather around your resting place whispering, waiting for you to open your little eyes.

We all have little nick-names for you.  They are said with so much affection and humor.  Butter Bean, Sugar Bear, Puddy Lumpkee (we chant that one when nibbling on your toes, smooching your cheeks and tickling your tummy - you are irresistible!). Just the way Henry says your name with that certain twang, it sounds like "Charlay" and makes us all laugh!

So often people ask me, "How do you do it?" Inside I smile, if they only knew how undone my home, my life is. So many days my "to do" list is terribly long, and yet it seems that one of the great mysteries of family life is how God gives us the grace to get just enough of those "to do" things done so that we can spend more time just "being" with each other.  There will always be things to do, but not always moments to be experienced.  How freeing it is to embrace those moments of just being together.

I love the time I get to sit and nurse you.  You always reach up to hold my hand, and then I feel peaceful and calm and connected to your precious little soul.

The other day at the grocery store a woman peeked under the umbrella of your car seat and sighed saying, "Oh, you didn't get your girl did you?"  I wanted to cover your ears.  I hope you never, ever listen to what anyone says about you being the youngest of five boys, unless their words are positive.  We want you, Charles.  We love you.  God gave us you.  We are blessed by you!

Soon your little feet will be walking, then running, then wanting to go places....I wonder sometimes where these feet will take you, who you will grow up to be, what plans God has for your life.  How desperately I wish for time to pass slowly, so that I can savor every minute with you and your brothers.  You will never know how much joy you have given your father and me!!