Dear Everett…

To the little boy who burst into the world and stole my heart on May 9, 2018 at 5:55 pm…

My sweet Everett, you have been through more in your two years of life than most people will face in 100 years. From the day you were born, life has been a battle for you. First it was a battle with your tongue tie and learning how to eat, then it was a battle with the muscles in your neck being too tight and weekly physical therapy starting at 2 months old, then it was your little flat head( FYI, you wore that little helmet like a champ my little love), then came Infantile Spasms, the monster that would change the entire trajectory of your life. You handled medication after medication like a little rockstar, the steroid weight gain and irritability, the yucky taste of the new anti seizure meds that we tried and the daily ACTH injections every day for a month. I’ve never known a stronger or braver little boy than you bubs. And when we realized that the seizures were back for the third time and we had no further medical options, your dad and I had to make the decision for you to have brain surgery to give you a fighting chance at a life free from seizures, in the middle of a global pandemic nonetheless. All of this before you turned 2 sweet boy. You are so strong buddy.

I wish I could make things different for you, to take away the hard stuff and make life easy for you. But let me tell you something Everett, you are stronger and braver than most people will ever be. You have taught your dad and I more about courage, determination and sheer willpower than you will ever know. You make us proud to be your parents. We are SO DANG proud of every single thing you have accomplished in your two short years and we look forward to all the things you will continue to accomplish. Even though this past year was harder than people will ever truly know and was filled with so many tears…we are amazed at how you just took everything that life threw at you and figured out how to thrive despite it.

I love you more with each day that passes my sweet boy. I pray that this next year is filled with so many smiles, so much laughter and all the happiness in the world. I pray that you thrive, that you grow and that you always know just how loved you truly are. You truly are my sunshine, my only sunshine, and I would move heaven and earth for you little one.

Happy 2nd Birthday Everett Kent. I’m so sorry you have to spend your birthday in the hospital bubba but I promise to make today as special as I can for you. I love you to the moon and back, always and forever. ❤️

-Mama