A Letter to My Second Boy on His First Birthday

My sweet little baby,

This morning, I stared at you a little longer and realized that time is passing so quickly. You will turn one in a few days, and soon you will not be the boy who sleeps in my arms but instead runs around the house. As I see how time is flying, I want to pause and let you know that even though this first year has been different with you being the second one, I love you just as much as I love your big brother.

No, you don’t have all my attention as your brother did. When you were born, I was worried about how your brother would react to having you among us, and since that moment, you have had to share my attention and care. But I want you to know that even though I can’t give you the same time I gave your brother when he was a baby, you have your brother and he is happy to have you. He waits for the opportunity to do something for you, to help me change you, to feed you, and to sing you “Baby Shark” and other songs that you love.

No, you are not the girl I wanted at the beginning and everyone else wanted us to have. But I want you to know that you are the perfect partner for your brother. Although there is a three-year gap between you, I can see that you both enjoy spending time together and I know that as you grow older, you will have a lot of fun riding your bikes, playing LEGOs, playing with cars, jumping in the mud…and I will be smiling, listening to you laugh at each other.

No, most of your clothes are not new. You are wearing what your brother did at this age, there are some onesies with little stains and clothes that have his name. But I want you to know that every time I see you wear one of those outfits, it reminds me how fast the time is flying—and that teaches me to appreciate the baby stage that you are in now.

No, I don’t take your pictures every day, not even every week. I used to take pictures of your brother to celebrate the smallest details and wrote about each of his milestones; with you, sometimes one, two, or several days pass before I realize you are turning another month. I don’t have hundreds of pictures of you, but I want you to know that doesn’t mean I don’t have you on my mind all day wherever I go.

Each of these circumstances has pushed you to grow in a different way that your dad and I allowed with your brother because the second-born child is unique in their own way…

You are an independent boy who doesn’t fear danger. Frequently, you try to run from my arms to go and find that thing that is catching your attention. You are not afraid of anything, and you like to explore everything by yourself. I have allowed that, but just until the point that you don’t hurt yourself doing it.

You play with your brother’s toys. You like LEGOs, firetrucks, cars, and trains as much as you like baby toys (sometimes even more). I always tell your brother that you want his toys because you admire him, and you are following his steps… This is how the both of you learn to share with each other.

You will never be alone. It may seem repetitive, but you are lucky to have someone who will always be there for you: your brother. He rides with you in the back seat of the car and hands you a toy when you get fussy. He plays with you, and when your dad and I leave you with a nanny, he is the familiar face that you see. He cares for you, and even though he fights with you for attention or that toy that you both want at the same time, he loves you.

My baby, when you read this letter, it doesn’t matter if you are 10, 18, or 30 years old, never forget that Mom loves you just as much as she loves your big brother.

Aidee
Born and raised in the north part of Mexico, Aidée is a mom of two boys who considers San Antonio a great place to raise kids, even though all her family lives on the other side of the border. She speaks only Español at home and tries to teach her boys about their heritage, learning as well about American traditions and having fun adapting to both cultures. Favorite Restaurant: Palenque Grill Favorite Landmark: Mission San Jose Favorite San Antonio Tradition: Rodeo