Days in the life of the Hays: A Letter to My Baby Girl

To my Baby Girl, Carli -

Two years ago, if only I knew how much my world would change the moment you came into my life. It is cliché to say that I don’t know where the time went or that it seemed like just yesterday I was holding you as a newborn, deprived of sleep and yet so proud to be blessed with you. But the time has flown by. I am not sure where the last year has gone, and you have grown up so much!

You are definitely a Daddy’s girl. Daddy has to put you to bed at night, and if he isn’t here to do so you play for a couple hours it seems before finally giving up on him coming to tuck you in. You and Daddy LOVE to wrestle. Daddy doesn’t need a little boy when he has you to tackle him to the floor! You still and always will I am sure, have your Daddy wrapped around your little finger. I do believe the terrible twos are well on their way here, but in the battle of wills, that cute little smile of yours will melt your Daddy’s heart any day!

How blessed you are to have two sets of grandparents to dote on you and love you. We get to see Grammy and Pa every week on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. I’m not sure who looks forward to these days the most, you or me! I love to watch you play with Grammy and Pa, giving them hugs and insisting that they come play with you no matter what they had been doing. Naggy and Pappy are so awesome to come spend a long weekend or in some cases a whole week with us. You flat wear them out when they are here! How God has blessed you with such wonderful Grandparents and how your parents are blessed to have such amazing examples as parents.

It is so much fun to watch you interact with your cousin Logan. You look up to him and do everything he does. You guys have so much fun together, and I pray that your bond will continue to grow over the coming years.

You are one lucky little girl to have such amazing Uncles and an Aunt that would move a mountain for you! I hope you never forget them as you grow up and that we are all able to stay so close. There is no greater blessing than family!

This time last year, we announced that you were going to be a big sister. It seemed so surreal to put such a big label on such a tiny little girl. But Ava was coming, and you were clueless about how your world was about to change! Ava got here in May, and you never even missed a beat. “Baby Ava” quickly became known as “B-Ava” and you accepted her into your little world and that was that. You are an awesome big sister. You love to give Ava hugs and kisses. You don’t give many people kisses, but how special little Ava is to you that she is the recipient of those precious little gifts!

When I left for the hospital to have little Ava, I left my first baby girl at home. When I came home, you weren’t a baby anymore! You talked nonstop, voicing your opinion and very loudly said “HUH?” when we called for you! Little stinker! You repeat everything we say now, from Albuquerque to Mississippi! You love to play outside and wish so badly that Ava would play with you too! You are an awesome big sister! And strangely enough, that title fits you so well now!

Carli, I love you so very much and I wanted to thank you for the wonderful blessing you gave to me these last two years. When you were born, Grandma and Pawpaw came to see you in the hospital and have been as much a part of your life as anyone else. You spent many Tuesday and Thursday afternoons with Grandma and Pawpaw – and what an amazing gift that was to both them and me. Our Pawpaw didn’t have a good memory, and it often frustrated him, but when he was with you, he was the Pawpaw I grew up with. You and he had an awesome little kinship that is almost impossible to put into words. You put the light back in his eyes. You all played, picked and laughed together. You gave Grandma a reason to smile. You gave me a memory to cherish. We lost our Pawpaw just one day shy of your second birthday. You are still asking for him, and I know in your own little way, you miss him dearly. I promise that I won’t ever let you forget him. He is as much a part of your life as he is a part of mine and I promise to always keep his memory alive for you.

Your Daddy and I still pray for you every night. We thank God for entrusting us with such a precious gift and pray that He will continue to guide us as you throw new challenges at us! We don’t always have all the answers, and I am sure we have made our share of mistakes – but here we all are two years later, still alive, still smiling and still rejoicing in complete awe at the amazing gift you are to us.