I’ve had these thoughts in my head for quite some time, and now that you’re about to make your long-awaited debut, I decided it best to capture them. Here. Now.
In mere days/hours, we will greet you for the very first time. To say that we are excited is a complete understatement. I remember peeing on the pregnancy test stick for the very first time, doing my best to calculate your due date. It seemed so far off. So distant. So far removed from that very moment.
The days, weeks, and months have passed.
I sit here typing this while you are squirming happily inside my belly. I marvel that you still have enough room inside to make any movements at all, yet you do. You reassure me constantly with your squirms, punches, kicks, and with the gentle rise and fall of my belly as you show me your practice breathing skills.
We love you very much, baby girl.
You are truly a love personified, and your daddy and I cannot wait to see what our love looks like in the coming days. We have dreamt of this moment, and while happy tears sting my eyes right now, I know that somehow I will have known you all along.
Let’s talk a minute about your daddy…..
Never has your mommy known a better man. Your daddy is a kind, loving, thoughtful, generous, funny, man. He waited many, many years to be a daddy, and now that the time has come, he is beyond thrilled. He will make you laugh. He will make you think. He will challenge you to be the best person you can become.
You will be loved fiercely. Protected unconditionally. Adored constantly.
Mommy still can’t believe it all. Even as all these months have passed, and my belly grows with the weight of you inside, it’s still surreal. I truly thought my days of becoming a mother again were over. Your brother was born January 25th, 1999, and I never thought that almost 15 years later, I would find myself pregnant with you.
Life holds many surprises, mark my word.
Speaking of your brother, he is a kind, tender, smart, loving soul. He is 15 years old now, and while that is a considerable gap of time, I have no doubts that over time, you two will find a way to become close as siblings. It’s my wish to have my children know and love one another.
My children…..wow. I’ve gone from ‘child’ to ‘children’ in a relative blink of an eye.
And mommy? Well, I write this letter to tell you how much I love you even before you leave the relative comfort of my belly. You are a gift to me, to your daddy, to your brother, and to all of our family. The anticipation of your arrival is palpable.
So, with all that said, when you are old enough to read this for the first time, I want you to remember a few things:
Be kind to everyone you meet. Kindness is free. It is appreciated and reciprocated. When in doubt, be kind.
Be compassionate. Whether you say it with a good word, a good deed, or something in between, show others you care.
Be a good friend. When you form friendships, remember how special those people are in your life. Friends will lift you up when you’re down, listen when you need it, and provide a listening ear when you need to talk.
Be honest. Tis better to be honest and deal with consequences than lie and deal with the hurt later.
Be passionate. Live a life of gusto and filled with all the things you want to accomplish. We only get one chance to live, so take full advantage. Don’t look back with regret at what you wished you could have done. Do it.
Be polite. Say thank you. Say please. Show appreciation to those you love and those who love you.
Be conscientious. Study hard. Do your homework. Don’t be late. Work hard.
Be proud of yourself. No matter how well you do something, be proud of the results, and more importantly, be proud that you tried it in the first place.
Be respectful of yourself and others. Don’t allow others to take advantage of you, your body, or your mind. In turn, don’t disrespect others in the same way.
Time is fleeting. I hope you read this letter someday and realize most, if not all, of what was written. Life is precious, and with you in ours, it will be even more special.
We cannot wait to meet you soon, baby girl…..
Love, mommy and daddy
