Well, I just returned from spending my first weekend with you…and I loved it! You see, last week, you made your appearance in this world and you were welcomed by Mommy and Daddy, by your Grandma and Pop-pops and by Mimi! Your Papaw (that’s me!) was not there until you came home a few days after you were born. When I came to your house, you were sleeping (you do that a lot, since you are such a little baby!) but your Daddy went into your room and brought you to me and put you in my arms. Georgia, I already knew that I would love you, but when I looked at your perfect little mouth and nose, your dark blue eyes and your soft skin, I realized that not only did I love you, but that there was nothing that I would not do for you. I have heard people say, that a child is someone who carries your heart around with them! I believe that from the moment I held you, you owned Papaw’s heart!
I was able to spend the next three days with you, your Mommy and Daddy and with Mimi, before I had to return to work. I loved every minute of it, but I especially liked holding you in your little swaddling blanket and watching you sleep. I enjoyed singing to you to soothe you, when you cried. In fact, I sang a lullaby to you that my Papaw sang to me, when I was a baby and that your Daddy’s Papaw sang to him when he was a baby. For three generations, Papaw’s in our family have sung “A Little Brown Bear With Wings” to the babies who were born into our family. In fact, your Daddy’s cousin Jeff has written a song about that lullaby, but mostly it is about the men who have sung that song to their grandchildren! You see, Georgia, it is a very special little song, but the people like my Papaw and your Daddy’s Papaw GC were very special men who loved each one of their grandchildren very much. That is no different for you or your cousins, Mark, Luke and Caroline! I love all of you very much!
I also want you to understand that all of my grandchildren are special to me. Your cousin Mark Garrett was my first grandchild to be born and just like you, I fell in love with him the minute I saw him and his Daddy placed him in my arms. He is special because he was my first grandchild. Later, his brother Luke was born. When Luke was born, I was in a place called Africa. Your Mimi called me there to tell me that baby Luke had been born and I was very excited. A few weeks later, I returned to this country and was introduced to my newest grandson, Luke Patton! The amazing thing was that I loved him just as much as I loved his brother! Luke is very special to me because he showed me that God made Papaw’s to be able to love all of their grandchildren. He is also special to me because he liked to sleep on Papaw’s chest when he was little! Almost four years later, your cousin Caroline was born. Once again, I fell in love with a grandchild, the second I met her! Caroline was special because she was the first precious little girl that God blessed us with! Papaw loves Caroline and I am pretty sure she loves her Papaw too! So, you probably wonder if I love you the way I love your cousins. Well, the answer to that is YES!!!! You are special for several reasons. First, you are special, because God made you that way and He made you just as He wanted you…perfect! Second, you are special because your Mommy and Daddy love you. But you are special to Mimi and Papaw too! You are the first grandchild that your Daddy gave to us and that will always mean you are special! I can also tell you that when you hear your Papaw’s voice, even though you are a tiny baby, you turn your head to see me and when you do, your Papaw almost melts!
I am looking forward to so many things with you, Georgia! I am looking forward to your first crawl, your first steps, you first day of school and so many other firsts. I hope I am around to see all of those special times. But, if I am not, I want you to remember what I have told your cousins, Mark, Luke and Caroline…over and over again! You will always be able to say, “I had a Papaw who loved me more than anything!” And I do!
Love, Papaw
