When I started dating Jake, it instantly felt easy. Falling in love with him felt easy. Our lives together moved quickly, and honestly we’ve never really slowed down since. Years later, it all still feels easy. Jake is the calm, the collected, the spontaneity, and the “always happy” in our marriage. When I am worried and nervous, he is comforting me and making me laugh all at the same time.
Henry is exactly what his dad is.
On February 8, 2022 at 10:33am Henry Good Hilgendorf came into our world quickly and calmly. Looking back now, and even in the moment; it all felt easy. Today, a whole year later, Henry is still my easy one. While I worry most of the time about his older brother, Henry always seems to be just tagging along with a smile on his face. He is funny, fearless, and happy!
Although he looks and acts like his dad, Henry is 100% a mama’s boy. I’ll never forget his first word being just that, “Mama”.
More times than not I carry guilt over trying to split my time between the two boys. Naturally I spend a lot of time with Connor driving to and from therapy appointments, leaving me wondering if I’ve given enough attention that day to my second born. Just when I start getting upset about it though, Jake comes in to remind me that he’s doing just fine. As a second child himself (and me being a third), we never grew up feeling like we were falling behind. It’s just the way life goes when you have an older sibling…always tagging along, going with the flow, and figuring it out yourself! That’s exactly Henry.
This past year went by twice as fast as the last. My 7lb 10oz dark haired-dark eyed baby seemed to start crawling and talking overnight. Henry loves trying to keep up with Connor, always wanting to play with exactly the same toy as him. Henry has always been our growing boy, eating everything he can. He is also FEARLESS! Climbing (and falling), swimming, and standing. You name it, he’ll be trying it head first. We often joke that Henry is the one that will turn me gray. I know he’ll be the student in class testing the limits… just like his dad was.
I’ve always said that Jake is my greatest answered prayer. He came into my life when I felt at my lowest. My husband saved me in a big way. Today in my heart, I feel like God gave me Henry for the same reasons. When I feel like I can’t handle the pressure of motherhood, Henry makes me laugh just like his dad makes me laugh. Loving Henry reminds me a lot like how I love Jake. It’s all easy.
My witty one, my wild one, my fearless one… I don’t ever want to remember life before loving you. I pray that you never lose your confidence, your sense of humor, and that scrunchy nose when you smile. I love you until my very last breath.
