Dear Future Arch

On wading into the waters of motherhood, ‘I's turning into ‘We's, and the happiness that only your child can bring.

MANILA, Philippines — You’ve just fallen asleep on my lap, my little boy. I can’t believe that just two years ago, you were about to become the best surprise of my life.

Meeting you changed my life. You’re only just a year and a half old; and from the sweet, pensive, independent baby you introduced yourself as, there’s now also the loving, kind and super weird Arch we’re all discovering.

I can’t say it enough: time is going by, just like that. You’re growing up so fast, you’re turning into this beautiful young person with so much spirit, with so much personality.

This is your journey, and we’re seeing you move through this world in your own way. Whichever direction you’ll end up choosing, we’ll be there to cheer you on. 

Baby's day out: Archie Burnand makes his Young STAR debut.

Ever since you came into our lives, there’s literally no more “I” in our little family. With your dad, it’s now just a constant stream of “We’s. We are hungry. We are tired. We are happy. We want Mommy to buy us more cute clothes. Okay, I may have made that last one up, but you get it. 

You have this incredible light, Arch. It’s something you’ve become so good at sharing — to the people that love you or to people you’ve just met, all the same. You have this constant sense of joy that makes you you.

I look at you, my little boy, and I can’t believe my life could ever feel so complete. We’ve become this family, we’ve become an “us” — and you’ve made everything feel so worth it. Every time you call me “Mama,” every time I hear you say our words: I feel the happiest I’ve ever felt in my life.

You’re the single best thing that’s ever happened to me, my Archieboo, and you’ve taught me so much about being myself and the privilege and the responsibility of being your Mum. I love you so much!

Be true and you do you, my Archieboo.

I love you!