Dear Amehlia,

Today you are a month old!!!

You entered the world 6 days early, amidst a pandemic called CoVid-19 and a presidential election that has yet to be declared official. A world where people are asked to wear masks in public spaces, often incorrectly, and vacillate between believing the masks help and believing they are useless. A world where whether or not there would be room at the local hospital in which you were born was a concern.

You weighed 8 pounds and measured 19 inches at birth. If you were a kitten, you woul be called a little chonk. You added light in the darkness.

The day you came began like any other day for me…I woke up at stupid o’clock and made coffee while Papa slept in a bit because it was a Friday (the 13th). Around 7am your father rang and stated “We have water everywhere.” And I envisioned a leaking dishwasher because Papa and I were in the middle of dealing with water damage from our dishwasher leaking. Once I figured out your father’s code for your Mommy’s water breaking, I woke up Papa and we commenced our role in the mission of your birth: Take charge of Nathalie. Nathalie is your big sister, we will speak of her often in these letters. Anyway, just as when Nathalie was born, Mommy was pretty chill when we arrived. Her water had broken while visiting the loo…you girls are so considerate.

We were not able to visit you in the hospital because… corona… But the night you were released Mommy and Daddy surprised us with a 10pm visit. Your sister’s excitement was more joyful than you could possibly imagine. Papa and I were more…”Meh, whatevs.”

Don’t believe that last statement for one second.

Over this past month you have been compared to your sister quite often, and other than the fact that in pictures we could swap the babies and most people wouldn’t know it, you are a bit different. For one… you eat…and you seem more chill… and you prefer being bounced over being swayed. Other than that, just another baby that we adore. As time goes on, we shall see more of your personality but for now you are just squishy bundle of cuteness for us to admire.

Happy 1st month of life little Podling.