Dear Mac

Sweet boy, I am your Aunt "Betta".  Your sister calls me that and it may very well be the best thing anyone has ever called me.

I am madly in love with you already.  The past several weeks have been full of early morning phone calls with your mom to check in on you (and her) and lots of emails and text messages and more phone calls during the days to keep on checking.  You were quite the little trickster as of late on when you'd get here and kept us all guessing all the time.

Your mother, the rock star, texted me something about a recipe at 9 am on your birthday.  At 9:30 she said she was taking your sister (more on her later) to the doctor for a strep test.  I told her to keep me posted.  At 11:15 I got another message that the strep test had been ditched and you were coming and coming SOON.  At 11:38, a message that you'd be here by lunch.  At 2:42 a photo of you from your daddy, and at 2:42.3 a phone call from your mom that you were here and were about 30 minutes old.  She chatted me up just like she was talking about that silly recipe from earlier.  Didn't sound tired or anything.  She's pretty cool.

Let me fill you in on a few things:

Your mama is my favorite person.  She has been for a very, VERY long time.  When I came to meet you, a nurse walked in while I was snuggling with you and said to us "Oh, you guys are sisters!"  If I had a penny for every time we've heard that, I'd take you and Emmy to Disney World.  She looked at us like we were lying when we said no.  We've been through it all together, little boy.  We've seen it all.  We've seen good and bad and sad and fun and everything else and never left each other's side in any of it.  We've celebrated and we've grieved.  She has quite literally held my hand through the biggest moments of my life and I've done the same for her.  I wouldn't be me without her, sweet thing.  She is faithful and beautiful and smart and unconditional.  She is funnier by the day, too, which I attribute to your dad.  (He's next.)  You are going to LOVE your mom.

And oh, your daddy.  Mac, listen to me when I say that your dad is the kindest person I know.  Ask anyone.  He will teach you to be a GOOD person.  He will teach you to give the world's best hugs that can make someone's day.  You will be funny because of him because he is really funny.  He'll teach you that it's just fine and wonderful to be a man who cries at the things that matter.  You will always see how much he loves your mom.  When we were in high school, long before your parents were married or even dated, he said he was going to marry her.  He is a man of his word.  All the time.  The biggest thing I can hope for you is that you'll be just like him.

And then there's Emmy.  Your sister is, without a doubt, just the best little girl on the planet.  The day that you were born, all I could think about was the day that she was born.  My drive to Charlotte was nearly identical and I got lost in the silly hallways and crazy parking decks just like I did with her.  The moment I laid eyes on Emerson almost 3 years ago my heart melted and she's had me wrapped ever since.  You just wait, you are going to have the BEST time with her.  She has the biggest, most loving heart, because she is part your mom and part your dad and that's how they both are.  She will teach you a lot, and I know she will love you like crazy.  She will protect you I know, and she could not be any prouder - already! - to be your sister.

And as for me, well, I'm pretty sure you could burn my house down one day and I would still love you.  I'll be here for you for forever and ever.  I will spoil you rotten and there's nothing anyone can do to stop me.  I always knew I'd love kids that your mom had because she's my person.  But oh.  Oh my stars.  Emmy and now you.  I'm pretty sure God has put me on the slower track to motherhood just so I can have plenty of time to play with you and your sister before it's my turn.

So far your crooked bottom lip is my favorite.  The list of things I will learn to love about you will go on for days and span years and years.  You've got my favorite little name for a boy.  Your mama knows that.  She told me I can still use it one day, too, but the moment I saw your face I knew I wouldn't ever do it.  You are Mac and you are totally a piece of my heart, you precious boy.  I love you SO much and I'm so glad you are finally here.

Love,
Aunt Betta