Happy 1st Birthday CJ!

Dear Chu Chu,

I can't believe that you are one year old today. I'm going to try to articulate how I'm feeling. I don't understand how it's been a year since you arrived earthside.

You came into this world in a very dark time, but yet you were my Sonshine. During my pregnancy with you, I felt the weight of the world on my shoulders, and I'm sorry to have ever passed that energy on to you. It was difficult trying to navigate my pregnancy during the pandemic and the racial turmoil that was unearthing globally. I felt desolate at times, but I realized the most radical thing I could do was choose joy despite the circumstances.

We once again were waiting until birth to find out your gender. I was 90% certain that you were a boy because your heart rate was under 150 and just the energy that I sensed from you. I was very happy after giving birth to find out you were a boy, and it was nice because now we had a perfect set. We went back and forth if we were going to name you after your Daddy and after meeting you I felt it was absolutely necessary, that is why you’re Christopher Charles White II.

Suri welcomed you with open arms; she was so enamored with you and still is. We were just relieved that she was happy to meet you because she's a tough cookie. I love how you're growing into your own, and I see you defending yourself from your Sissy. I think it's so cute how you're thick as thieves. I will do everything to foster that bond between you both, even as you grow older and have separate interests.

I love how much you love eating, your Daddy and I joke we need another rental property just to feed you. You definitely take after your Mommy with the "Live to Eat" way of life. It's so funny how you'll eat your food off and then Suri's leftovers. Right now, your favorite foods are Peas, Broccoli, Butternut Squash, and Blueberries. We are still working on the Baby-Led Weaning because things can get a bit messy. I still enjoy our times nursing, and I plan to for six months at least.

Your personality is certainly gentle, but you're so rugged and tough. We love your little sense of humor, especially when you're doing something in which I tell you not to; you just look back at me and start laughing. I know you know what you're doing. Then sometimes, I just catch your gaze, and you start to chuckle. Your little laugh is infectious.

You started really walking a few days after you turned ten months, which is amazing. We feel that you are just trying to keep up with Suri. You've mastered going up the stairs; now we're working on you coming down the stairs safely. You've had a few tumbles that really scared us in which we took you to the Chiropractor immediately after, just to get everything realigned. We love how you love to dance; our nightly dance parties are some of my favorite times with you.

You’re book worm like your Mommy, you’re already pointing to different things on the page and trying to turn the page as I read to you. Your favorite book right now is “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what Do You See?”.

While you're saying a few words such as Dada and Mama, Yea and Done, Nana and Daddy said you said "food" yesterday which really doesn't surprise me.

I love you, sweet boy; you're the perfect addition to our family. I am so grateful and thank God every day for giving me the strength to carry you and bring you into this world.

Love,

Mommy

Photoshoot Details:

Photography - RTW Photography

Creative Director/Set Designer - Tishele Smith