Little Z / Mummy Life

A Letter to my Second Born on his First Birthday…

And just like that, you are already ONE! And yet, in so many ways, it feels like you have always been part of the gang, part of the family.

You have been a ray of sunshine, with your abundant smiles and laughter, slotting into our existing routine as best a second born has to I suppose. You have clusterfed to your heart’s content and given us poo explosions. You have kept us awake at night, and then won us over with your dimple smiles.You have outgrown your babygrows and decided you hate the stroller.You have learnt to sit, to crawl, to stand and are well on your way to walking. You have already travelled to your first country abroad on your first flight and experienced the snow. You have brought so many blessings and barakah to our family since your birth. 

Being the second born has also meant that you take your naps anywhere that we are, tagging along to so many of your big brother’s activities. Master Z’s excitement at your arrival did not wane over the course of this year and you two are already sharing such a strong bond, never far away from each other, making the other laugh hysterically for the most bizarre reasons! You return your brother’s kisses with your own soppy ones, along with bonus nose bites and smacks on the head to wake you up in the morning. Watching you two together makes my heart burst with pride every single time.

As much as I try not to compare you with your older brother, so many of your antics remind me of him when he was younger. That naughty twinkle in your eye, your love for eating with those four tiny teeth and the way you have learnt to fearlessly walk a few steps before collapsing into my arms, burying your face into me, beaming with happiness.

Yet at the same time, I have noticed that you have learnt to also fight your corner, making your demands known with a short but increasingly loud Aaa, reaching out with hands open to the object (often your brother’s toys) of desire.

Watching you grow this year from the tiny little frog that you were when we brought you home has been so rewarding, especially as this time I have been more confident about my parenting decisions and actions. It has been a smoother ride, a more relaxed experience and I have taken longer to enjoy those newborn cuddles, knowing full well how quickly that time trickles away from between my fingers. I could not comprehend before how it would be like to love another child when all my heart was already taken up by another, but it is true, the size of my heart doubled to love you just as fiercely as I love your brother.

As I look back at your photos over the last year, I am only filled with happiness and content, Alhumdulillah. I pray that you grow to see many many more years In sha Allah, and you are blessed with all the love, happiness and success you deserve in both this life and the hereafter.

Happy First Birthday, our darling baby boy. Mummy and Papa love you tremendously, to infinity and beyond.

How did you feel when your baby turned ONE? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below!

Also, feel free to have a read of my open letters to my first born: Master Z on his first, second, third and fourth birthday.