Second Child Syndrome

Dear Sweet Thomas,

So often we tote you around, a twenty pound bundle of love, without all the attention that your big brother got when he was the only one.  You don't seem to mind.  You smile at him right along with me, never complaining that he is the one so often in the spotlight.  You don't know life any other way.

You are a second child, and let me tell you, being a second child has some incredible perks.  We enjoy you so much without all the worry and second-guessing that accompany a first born.  We look at you and smile without wondering when you will sit up by yourself and how that compares with the rest of the six month old population.  Then one day you're sitting, and we wonder when it happened.  Where did our little baby go?

Every day we have a special time together; a secret we keep from your big brother, when we giggle and play and you show me all of your new tricks.  Your brother naps away the afternoon, unaware of all the undivided attention you get.  Surely he would never stand for that if he were awake. 

We thank God for the gift of you, our second son.  Surely you must know how giddy with love you make us.  It's a secret we hold in our hearts, that sometimes emerges as a high pitched squeal of joy... sometimes so much love can be hard to contain.  You must understand, as you squeal right along with us.