A letter to my husband—I wouldn’t be the mother I am without you

My love,

There is so much that I’m thankful for that I don’t think it could fit in simple words. So here’s my attempt at letting you know how proud I am to have you in our lives.

I want to thank you.

For holding my hair back as I hovered over the toilet those first few months of pregnancy.

For running out at 3AM to get me donuts because donuts make the happiest pregnant girls.

For letting me use all of your pillows so I could feel more comfortable sleeping with my big belly.

For holding my hand during labor to remind me how strong I am and how proud of me you are.

For rocking, swaying and bouncing our newborn even at 1AM, 3AM and 5AM so I could get some sleep.

I wouldn’t be the mother I am today without you.

I want you to know that I see you.

I see how you stay up late at night looking for ways to provide for our family.

I see that you’ve had a long day at work but still come home to happily put our baby to bed. And I see how she places her head on your chest and listens to your heartbeat as she drifts off to sleep.

I see how you look at me when I take care of our child and how proud you are to see me grow into a new role before your eyes.

I see how much you care about us and how hard you work to make us happy.

I see you when you run to the drugstore at 2AM because I realized we were out of formula—again.

Maybe our baby will grow up and not understand all you’ve sacrificed for us. But I want to let you know that I see you, and that I know how much you pour into your work and to our lives together.

I couldn’t be the mother I am without you.

You give me strength when I can’t find it. You encourage me when I doubt myself, and you dry my tears when I don’t know if the decisions I made were right.

You appreciate all I do for our child more then anybody.

I know how little credit others give you for raising our child. But the truth is that I couldn’t be the mother I am today without you.

I see you when you love me. I see you when no one else does.

You are my baby’s father. And for that you are a hero in my eyes.

Let’s do this life together even when we’re old and gray. Because I wouldn’t want to do life with anyone else but you.

I love that I get to be a mother because I get to be a mother with you by my side.

Juli is a first time mom to her daughter Mia. She is also a wife, writer, photographer and videographer from Miami. You can follow Juli on her blog.