Isaiah,
Hi sweetie. Today was Lucas’ birthday. Two down in the trifecta of birthdays, only yours left to go. Lucas got a Minecraft cake in honor of you and the second slice from the cake was for you. We sliced a big enough one for you and put it in your spot at the table. Lucas also picked out three Lego sets for his birthday to remember you. He got one and a half of them put together. Elijah keeps taking apart his Lego creator set. He’s made the fish, the frog, just finished the bird today, and then took it apart an hour later. Sounds just like you. I remember the first set you had that broke. You built a fire station from Lego City. You wanted to show Gma and Pap your build while we were talking on the portal so you tried to carry it over. You dropped it. There were no tears. I told you it was fine and I couldn’t help you put it back together and got the directions. You looked at me and asked if you could build something else with it instead. That was the start of your building different sets and taking them apart completely within a half hour of it being completed.
Back when it was just you and Ellie, on special random days I would let you guys sit at the “princess table”. That meant that instead of sitting at the dining room table, you got to sit in the living room and eat your dinner while you watched your movie. You guys used to get so excited. It was mostly used for that in Tennessee, while we couldn’t do it much in Missouri. Two kids fit nicely, three kids was way too tight.
You were my calm baby after Ellie. Ellie was colicky, cried all day every day, and never slept. Then you came along, I put you down in your crib alone, you took a pacifier, and you went to bed. It was the most amazing thing I had ever witnessed after having Ellie. You were great at sleeping until you started to get stronger and I could no longer swaddle you. I had to move to the “super swaddle” which I couldn’t believe I was doing. You fought me so hard whenever I swaddled you. Then you learned to roll and I couldn’t even swaddle anymore. I got desperate and you slept in the magic Merlin sleep suit. It was huge and made you look like the marshmallow man until that didn’t work. I’m pretty sure strictly breastfed babies just don’t sleep.
You could easily tell that you were a breastfed baby. Your first word you ever said was boob. When I got a job at the YMCA and worked on weekends, daddy would send me pictures of you standing in front of the window, holding your nursing pillow, and crying. Even after you were done nursing and Lucas was born, you would help yourself to the pumped milk in the fridge every morning. You’d take out the bottle, ask for a straw, and went about your morning. As you got older and I told you this, you were absolutely horrified and denied any such doing.
We did our first random act of kindness today for you. I wrote on a little card “this random act of kindness is in memory of Isaiah Joseph” and bought a little moose stuffed animal. Remember when daddy took that moose with him to training and would send pictures of it? That’s why I chose the moose. Lucas and I found a little girl, asked her mom if she could have it, and we gave it and walked away. Sure it’s just a small thing, but I want to remember and celebrate you.
Isaiah, you were an amazing son and an even more amazing person. You always stood up for other kids, was so kind, wanted to help, and made sure everyone was being included. I miss you so much. What I wouldn’t give for just five minutes with you. Please continue to watch over us. I will keep telling you good morning in your room each day when I wake up and goodnight each night as I turn your light to purple and your fan on three. I’m so proud of you for everything you did and were. I love you so much baby.