Dear Andrew,
Oh, Andrew, my 1st born, what can I say. You are such a wonderful boy. Generous, thoughtful, always putting others before yourself. When you were just a little bitty guy, I used to always say that it was like you were an "old soul." We would be out, and you would see another little kid crying, and you would try and comfort them. You had this soft, gentleness about you. So rare for boys, but you had it. Even adults have always enjoyed you in their presence. You seemed to click with adults when other kids weren't even halfway interested in the grown ups around them. I have enjoyed watching you grow up, and love cheering you on as you accomplish so much by working so hard.
You are a perfectionist. Such a common trait for a 1st born. As a mom, I gotta say, it makes my job very easy. I don't need to poke, prod, or force you to do anything, you just pretty much do it, without argument. You are honest, kind, and loyal to this family & to your friends. So it is also natural for me to worry boatloads about the outcome of this boy who is so easy to do what is asked of him. He doesn't like to hurt people's feelings, and although that can be great, as a mom it has it's moments of scary :)
Andrew, I want you to know that you are an amazing kid. Don't ever let peer pressure dictate otherwise. Sometimes it can be hard to not do what the others are doing. To say certain things, do things that are questionable. In a world where disrespect runs rampant, you are one of the few who still stands for your beliefs, but at a cost it seems. I know you feel like the world is judging you, that to be good means getting labeled, and being edgy is cool right now. I know that.. I remember those days vividly. It's so much easier to just do whatever it is people are all doing, because you'll stay under the radar that way. To stand out for being the "good kid" is sort of like throwing on some nerd glasses & yelling out "Hey everybody, I'm a mama's boy!!"
Don't cave..don't feel like you have to impress others. Don't feel like you need to be anything other than yourself. If your friends can't like you for who you are, then they aren't your friends anyway. It's true. True friends really do like you for who you are.
Treat others with respect, even if it's not what the cool kids are doing. Be kind to others, and be remembered for being the kid who was nice, even when the others weren't. Always remember that there is a flip side to every story. Like the boy we see with his mom every day, remember that everyone has a story. Or like the boy who was mean to you & poked you as you were walking. We just don't know. We really don't know who is in our midst, and what they are going through.
Treat girls with total and absolute respect. It is a hard life for girls. I don't know truly what you, as a boy, go through, but as your mom I can tell you with absolute certainty that girls have it rough. Treat them well, never say mean things to them. Respect them as a person, for their mind, their heart, and their souls, but also respect their body. Don't be the boy that girl remembers as being the jerk. Be the one they remember with a smile, even when they're all grown up. Compliment them for the mere fact that you want to be nice to them-not because you want to convince them of something for your own selfish reasons. Never disrespect, make fun of, or treat a girl poorly- girlfriend or not. Always...always give them total and complete respect.
But also treat yourself with respect as well. Respect your body. Remember that you only get one 1st. 1st girlfriend, 1st love, 1st kiss. These things don't come back. Make them memorable, and never settle just to squelch curiosity. Make it count, and above all else, never go further than is respectful to you or the girl. Go for the girl who is good for you, not for your reputation. Love who you love with all of your heart, and don't feel like there's some sort of masculine quota that needs to be met. You'll understand this more & more as life goes on. Just remember, if you're mom approves, she approves for a reason..not that you have to always seek the counsel of your mom, but I can tell you now that I'm truly looking out for your best interest, not mine, in your life, but I'll always understand if you don't always want my advice.
Surround yourself with people who care about you, and wish you well. Keep your honor intact. Never falter in your faith & values. Keep your morals close, and examine them often. If you mess up, confront it, look at it closely for what it was, learn from it, and move on to become a stronger person from it.
I know you so well, even if you don't always know you. I am so proud to me your mom, and so thankful that God gave you to me. I am the luckiest mom alive to have Andrew Austin Baird as my son, and I take that job seriously. I want you to know that I loved you from the very moment I found out that you were just a little teeny thing, the size of a piece of rice. I really went around telling everyone that! People gave me some strange looks. But I did it all the same, because you were my little piece of rice.
I love you, Andrewski, and I always will.
Love,
Mom
That was nice!
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