Dear Adleigh,

What a year you have had, peanut!

Being the last baby, moments like this are generally sad.  As I sit here crying, I cannot say it isn’t sad, I get misty putting away outfits that you have grown out of, or the bumbo, or swing, or anything that reminds me how fast everything is going.  But I am so excited to see the girl/woman you will become.

As your brother and sister before you, you took your sweet time getting here.  But at 12:53 pm on 9/29/2015, as the rain poured down outside, you forever changed our family.  An hour later as I walked down the hall to our room and saw Canton and Liberty waiting for us, I knew you completed our family.  I could not imagine my heart being any more full than at that moment.  As Mal would say, my three angels.

You were strong from your first kick.  You gave your mama a run for her money with heartburn and cramping legs, but you lifted your head a soon as you came out and looked right up at me I knew I had another strong-willed girl on my hands.  You rolled a couple days later and have been moving even since.  You were the earliest to wave (Old Man Wave as we call it), you loved to way goodbye to the boys in the morning. You were also the first to crawl (you actually scooted first) and you were without a doubt the hardest baby I’ve ever tried to pin down to change a diaper!  You also flapped your arms in excitement so hard that it probably prevented you from walking a few weeks sooner than you did.  You still walked in your tenth month but boy were you excited the month leading up to that.  Once you took off your were doing your favorite activities of digging in the cup drawer and picking up the floor vents as if they were the greatest toy ever invented.  We loved to watch you get in downward facing dog position and laugh your grunty laugh that we all love.  As Becky said describing you, “Can you ever remember being so excited about something?!”

People ask “Oh three kids, what’s that like?”  I say, it is like treading water and then you add a baby.  But, you were the baby we could handle.  Between dad getting a new job, dad living away from us for work, and finally moving, unpacking, new school, and on and on, your laid back style is just what we needed.  You eagerly nursed and happily slept (short as is was you could almost sense the days I needed it to be 2.5 hrs instead of 2 between feedings), you smiled through our week of hotel living, and slept through the night a couple weeks after moving into our new house.  You readily accepted worn out toys, stained clothes, and we realized the world wouldn’t end of your teether hit the floor.  You were the baby we needed.

I love how your eyes light up when you see something you want.  May you always chase your dreams with the same gusto.

I love your grunty laugh, how you always clap for yourself and anyone else, and how you blow raspberries on my neck when you fall into me for a snuggle.  May you continue to always lift others around you and find joy and love in everything you do.

I hope in the years to come you forgive me if I hold you a little longer, little tighter, because you are the link of our young family, the one trying to figure out our way, to the family that will grow in the future.  Soon, I will miss how you love when I nibble your chubby thighs or pat down your tuft of hair.  One day I will no longer be able to feel your weight in my arms, but please know I will always be here to catch you when you fall.  And, when your babies crawl all over you, you will still always be my baby.

We love you peanut!

Weight:  21 lbs 2 oz

Length: 29 inches

PS–Mike, we did it, we have successfully guided three pretty cool humans out of the baby phase.  Through blood, sweat, tears, whatever filled all those diapers, and pure willpower we have completed this part of our journey.  I’m so thankful you have been with me for each step and can’t wait to see what is ahead!