Dear Marc...

The day I met your folks, you were there.

Although, I'm guessing you don't remember much.
If you heard this all before, you can skip to the end if you don't want to hear me repeat myself ; )

When they walked in to our meeting - your Mom said,

'Im sorry we're late - but you should know, we're going to be late to our own wedding'.

I knew then, that you were going to make your debut late too, cause really,
'the apple never really does fall too far from the tree',
or so I believe.

Your parents...are cool.
I know, it's a paradox.
Parents try to be cool and it really doesn't go over so well, but yours just are. 
Really.

They're fun, musical, and creative.

They're also personable, compassionate and in love.

We talked about you, as much as we did about photographing the wedding day.

We discussed names, and they told me they were thinking of calling you Scarlet, but they weren't quite set on it.
If you were a boy...it was definitely going to be Marc Robert.

They thought it sounded solid and strong.

After the wedding, I still managed to keep in touch with your folks.

It was exciting to hear how they were preparing for you, what your Mom was going through and even funny at times when your Dad would mention to me how Mom would fall asleep right in the middle of eating her mint choc. chip HagenDaz. 

You, little man, tuckered her out.

Facebook, kept the family and friends privy to all of the anxiousness they were feeling about your arrival. They could not wait to meet you. It came to a point when Mom said she wasn't posting anymore until 'she was on the other side'. 

Well, the day finally came and Mom posted to say she was with the two loves of her life and you had your Daddy's 'chill' disposition.

 After meeting you last weekend, I certainly agree - although your Mama is pretty 'chill' herself.

Since we are sending out announcements - I decided to hold off on posting any pictures of you,

as to not give the 'sneak peek' away. 

But I will leave you with just a reminder of why I think

'the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree'...

If you know Dad...you get it ... ; )

Perhaps the best part of the picture is not the shoes but the 'past' that it's sitting on.

Your Uncle spent weeks, preparing this for you.

Months bringing it back to life.

It's significant. It's your roots. It's a part of your history. 

It's five generations old.

And when people can't hold onto things these days for five minutes, that's a big thing.

It's nice to see something so lovingly restored to it's original beauty and done especially for you.

Your mama's baby clothes sat in these draws, as did your Grandma's and Great Grandpa's did before them. 
Age changes a lot of things - it withers, it deteriorates, it makes things lose there appeal -

but it also makes you appreciate the loveliness of the memory,
and in doing so it breathes new life into the old.

Marc, enjoy life to it's fullest. Appreciate everything. Find the gift of music as your parents did...never regret, and feel compassion until it's the core of your being.

And while we are on the subject of shoes, if you have the ability to 'walk a mile in someone elses shoes', if you can really truly do that, (as I tell my own kids),

you can do anything.

Fondly,

The crazy lady with the camera

Hey, Mom and Dad...welcome to the other side...