How is it possible that it’s been three years already? I remember the day like it was yesterday.

It was a Friday, March 16th, 2012. I was just over eight months pregnant and I was going in for a normal check up.

I was diagnosed with preeclampsia that day and told to go home, pack a bag, have a big dinner (ha!), and check back into the hospital that night, as I would be giving birth to YOU … the NEXT DAY.

Wait, what?! I was more than ready to meet you, but didn’t expect to for another month. Being the type-A planner that I am, this totally threw me for a loop.

I called your pop immediately and he left work. We went home and packed the most ridiculous hospital bag ever heard of.

For some reason I thought I just had to have candles, music, makeup (??), hair dryer (HA!), 10 outfits for you, and some books and magazines in case I got bored during delivery (bored?!). 

We went out for dinner, but I was too nervous to eat a thing. We checked into the hospital that night and miraculously had an excellent night sleep.

The next morning, March 17, I was induced into labor. 

In a matter of just 12 hours, I went from being a nervous, but excited pregnant lady, to an incredibly emotional, over the moon with happiness, “mama”.

You weighed in at just 5 pounds on the dot. You were the tiniest, most handsome, absolutely perfect baby I had ever seen in my whole life.

You arrived just after 8 pm on St. Patrick’s Day.

The (Irish) Maroney side of our family couldn’t have been happier about the date. (Although, I think they may have wanted us to name you Patrick instead) 🙂

After five full days in the hospital, we were given the okay to bring you home to meet the rest of our family (Walter, our great Dane and Ava, our rescue dog). I can’t say that they loved you from the first minute they met you, but they did warm up quickly and now won’t leave your side. 

I’ve been calling you “bird” since the day we brought you home from the hospital. You used to make the craziest little bird noises that could be heard from a town away. Luckily, you stopped making those sounds, but the nickname stuck.

Our lives have never been the same since that day 3 years ago.

You have always had a way about you. If I’m having a bad day I simply look at you and you bring a smile to my face.

You have the best sense of humor, and the most amazing laugh that can get an entire aisle of the grocery store laughing along with you.

You have grown so much over the course of the last three years. Just yesterday, you caught a glimpse of your reflection in the window and said “Hey mama! I look just like pop. I’m getting so tall!”

This morning at breakfast before school, you looked at me with the most serious face and asked “Mama, do you love me?”

I started to cry. I know that you know that I do. But you were testing me … something you have gotten very good at lately.

In fact, I love you so much sometimes it hurts.

Sometimes I feel like my heart is going to burst with all the love that I have for you.

You are our everything. You mean the world to pop and I and we would never, ever want to live a day without you.

I love you with all of my heart and soul.

Happy 3rd birthday, little man.

xo, mama