Duce Turns 3! Momma’s Love Letter 💜

I cannot say that I remember being the little girl who played house or carried around a baby doll all the time. But I do have vague memories of having a baby doll and stroller set. Even more so, I have stronger memories of being the big cousin taking care of the little and baby cousins at family events, or during the summer times in California with family. I also remember babysitting my family members at the early age of 12. The older I got, my clientele grew, and so did my love for caring for and nurturing children. So it was no surprise that I wanted to be a mother. And a mother I became, that April morning I found out I was pregnant with Duce, even more so on that late evening of December 31, 2016 at 10:50pm. For me, my destiny and purpose evolved that cold evening, and I was forever changed for the better.

No one tells you how your heart will explode with joy and your soul will be filled with a renewed kind of purpose that sets your heart on fire. When I laid eyes on Brandon Isaac Whitaker, II, affectionately known as “Duce” tears of pure thanksgiving filled my eyes. I was so thankful to God for blessing my husband and me with our son, and at that very moment of him being laid on my chest, I knew my life was forever changed and my purpose from God had reached a whole new height. These last 3 years have been nothing short of a fascinating, challenging and purifying ride of motherhood with my big boy Duce. I am so thankful to God for choosing me to be his mother, healing his heart and setting apart his destiny in this world. Every evening while he is sleep next to me I pray over him asking God to equip my husband and me with the wisdom and skills to parent him in the way that God sees fit, so that he may grow up to be a Kingdom Man unashamed of the gospel, confident in his Christ walk, and a giver of his talents to the world.

Three years into motherhood and Duce has taught me many things:

• There are so many ways we can SHOW love to each other, but most importantly, those we love need to hear it.
  • I am always blessed with unconditional love by Duce in his words and actions. He tells me he loves me, follows with a kiss and a hug and gives an extra dose of cuddles at the right time.
• Forgiveness is coupled with love-when you truly love someone, you can find forgiveness in your heart and extend them the same grace we need every day.
  • My son is quick to apologize and seek your approval of his apology followed by a hug. Ownership of our faults followed with love is a skill we can all work harder at mastering everyday.
• Laughter is so healing and rewarding to our souls. I love to hear my son laugh because you can hear the joy in his voice every time.
• Adventure and exploring are the gateways to our passions. I have watched my son try many different activities, find enjoyment in different toys and in all of it use his imagination to take himself on an adventure that allows him to explore freely what it is he loves to do. Many times we fear failure, rejection, or confusion and play it safe. My dear Duce has showed me what adventure and exploring can do for your dreams. Be free! Dream BIG!
• Having a thirst for success. Because I have him and now his brother, I want nothing more than for my family to thrive and be successful, as I know it directly benefits them. My success is selfless. I truly believe the decisions I make are smarter and more calculated because I’m always considering him and his brother, and how my choices and decision will affect them.
• Loving myself entirely. Because by doing this I can give him my best everyday. This means leaving and taking time for myself and not feeling guilty. And even better, being welcomed when I returned and reminded that I was missed and am loved.

It is so hard to put into words the love and joy children bring to our hearts💕. What I can say is that I have never experienced this level of fullness until I embarked on motherhood. There are many lessons and blessings I have received from my dear Duce. I am so grateful to be his mother, and even more filled with gratitude that I get a front row seat to Duce’s journey, where I see the sparkle in his eyes light up rooms, flutter hearts and remind everyone he encounters just how good God is to us on this side of heaven.

It has been a busy year for our family, and Duce has not missed a beat! He continues to wow me and his dad every day with his abilities, talents and vibrant personality. So what has he been up to this year? Where do I start?!

• He loves learning and has taken to play-learning schooling with me, learning his colors, shapes, ABCs, numbers, animals, and so much more!
  • He loves counting! We are at 20 so far!
  • He is starting to draw his shapes, recognize some of his letters, knows a ton of animals, and is quick to tell you what color an object is NOT! 😂
    • NEXT STOP: Letter and Number recognition
• He speaks in complete sentences-especially when he is telling you what he wants to eat!
  • Current mom fav: “Hi baby brother! I love you!”
• He is potty trained-with the exception of not being sold on exactly where #2 is “supposed” to go. 😂
• He loves to clean, especially sweeping, mopping, vacuuming and putting up laundry🙌🏾.🧹🧼
• He read his first book this year! “Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes”📖🐱👟
  • He will read this book to anyone who will listen, even if it’s only him!
  • He is a huge lover of books so this is an exciting time for him to continue to build his vocabulary and reading skills!
• He loves singing, especially to his baby brother.
  • His karaoke list: “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star✨, The Wheels on the Bus🚌, BusyBeaver Color Song🎨🔴🟠🟢🔵, Jingle Bells🌲🎅🏾🔔, ABC Song📚, and The Itsy Bitsy Spider🕷
• He loves praying at meal time and random times during the day with his brother.
  • His favorite part, “In Jesus Name, Amen!” 🙏🏾🙌🏾✝️

I could go on and on about how much Duce has grown and how smart he is, but then this post will be longer than it already is.☺️ I leave this 2019 year, this specific eve day before the new decade, celebrating my big boy Duce and all that he is and will be by God’s grace. I am so blessed to be his mother and thank the Lord everyday that he said yes to Brandon and me, healed our son’s heart all the while filling out hearts with such an explosive love that can’t be contained, but only reciprocated back to him every day. I love you Duce and am so proud of the boy you are and cannot wait to see the man of God you will grow to be. You are an amazing big brother, and I live for the moments and adventures you and Elisha will have, becoming each other’s best friend. Thank you for your genuine love and gentleness to him already. Thank you for teaching me so much in these short three years, being patient with me in my shortcomings and not so grand moments, but most importantly loving me unconditionally out loud and effortlessly. You have made my whole world, and I cannot thank you enough for being your beautiful self every single day. Continue to let your light shine bright for others to see just how great God truly is! ~Matthew 5:16💜

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All my love until my last breathe,

Momma 💜

Copyright © 2019 by Da’Quisha Whitaker

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the writer.