Things I want Sully to Know

I got this idea from another blogger, and it I thought it was such a good idea.  She wrote a post about things she wanted her daughter to know; kind of like life lessons.  My dad has been drilling life lessons into my head for 18 years, so it seems only fitting.  There are a million things you want to teach your child, but there are those core morals and ideals you want your child to know.

Recently, I have been completely choked up and in disbelief about how fast Sully is growing up.  He is so smart and I never tire of people stopping me to tell me how handsome he is.  I can't believe how amazingly well behaved and advanced he is, considering how we all started out.  He blows me away with his sheer awesomeness.  I want to make sure that I am the best parent he could hope for.  I want him to be able to look back on his childhood and feel like it was fantastic.

So, my stellar son, these are some things I want you to know.

Work Hard - Nothing in life is free, and not a whole lot comes easy.  You will never get where you need to be without going for it.  No one got anywhere while resting on their laurels.

Steer your own life - Don't let anyone else paddle your canoe.  Put your oar in the water and take control.

Never be ashamed of your scars - They just mean that you were stronger than whatever tried to hurt you. 

Don't let your heart condition determine your existence- You aren't just "the kid with the heart condition."  You are Sullivan James.  Comedian.  Heartbreaker.  Best friend.  Expert walker.  Bubble Guppies lover.  You are more than the kid with the faulty valve. 

You will do great things some day - I know in my heart that you will do great things in this world, and I promise to be there for you every step of the way.

I will love you unconditionally, even when I'm mad at you - I know I can't stop the teen years from coming, or the terrible twos, but I want you to know that no matter how mad you and I may get at each other in the coming years and decades, I love you always.  In fact, you will never know exactly how much I love you, because I love you so much that it cannot even be put into words.

Be kind, respectful, and polite - A wise man once told me, "I will love you always, but I want everyone else to love you."  Being nice will always get you further than being a jerk.


Dear Sullivan,

I am sitting here writing this post on a break from work, and it makes me miss you.  I know you are playing at daycare and having fun with your friends, but man!  I just wanna play with you all the time. I just love you so much.  You are my absolute dream come true.  You are your daddy are more than anything I could have hoped for.  I love watching you play, and laugh, and make silly faces, and explore this great, big world we live in.  You are the joy of our lives and we adore you. 
We are so proud at what an awesome kid you are and Daddy and I love going places and everyone can't help but compliment us on how handsome and good you are.  I love that you love being around people, and reading books, but I especially love that you are already so into music.  I love that you sit in your car seat and "sing" along.  That warms my heart.
I can't believe how fast time is flying by, and I'm so glad that I cherish every minute so I can look back and not regret anything. In two weeks, you will already be 16 months.  Wow. :-)

I love you so much, Monster Bear. I can't for 4:30 to come so I can pick you up and give you a million kisses!
I love you 24,

Mama