A Letter to My Daughter

Sweet Baby Girl,

Tomorrow you turn 20 months old. And soon, baby brother will be making his way into our lives and you won't be our one and only anymore. I wanted to take a minute to write you a letter before this happens, to talk to you for a second, to commemorate and celebrate the girl you are right now, before your life changes forever.

You are my sweet sunshine. You are happy. And silly. And funny. And energetic. And opinionated. And strong and determined. And you are so, so smart.

The simplest things delight you. Our evening walks around the neighborhood, enjoying the pre-summer twilight temperatures, bring you pleasure to no end. You sit in your wagon with your container of blueberries and your cup of milk, and while your dad and I walk ahead, you prop both feet up on the side of the wagon, lean back, and soak it all in. Every time I look back at you, the wind blowing your gorgeous curls, you catch my gaze and break into a scrunched-nose, squinty-eyed look of sheer delight. You hunch your shoulders up and giggle at me and pop another blueberry into your mouth. I love that you are so delighted by the world around you. That you find so much pleasure in just experiencing it. I love that you share your delight with me.

You make my life delightful.

You love to laugh and you love to be amazed. Your favorite way to pass time at a restaurant while waiting on our food is to watch the "magic tricks" your dad and I perform, making rolled up pieces of straw wrappers disappear and reappear under our hands. You are the most social baby I've ever known. You say "Hi, people!" whenever you see anyone come around, and you are constantly grinning your grin at anyone and everyone who smiles at you . . . and baby girl, EVERYONE smiles at you. They just can't help it.

You are getting to be such a grown-up little girl. You know all your colors and shapes. You understand everything we tell you or ask you. You love to help us and play with us and snuggle with us, and you love to let us know exactly what you want and see how far you can push it. In other words, you are doing exactly what you're supposed to be doing as a toddler, and I'm so proud of how amazingly you are growing up.

I know, here pretty soon, a lot of big things are going to change. Baby brother is going to arrive, and you are going to suddenly have to share things you've never had to share before--our time and attention and laps and hugs and kisses and patience, just to name a few. Your dad and I are doing everything we can in these last few weeks and days to make sure that you know exactly how special you are to us. Your getting lots of park trips (your favorite thing right now!) and special treatment. This morning we went down to Zilker Park to play and ride the train. You had a blast running around and playing with all the other kids. You are so observant and love to interact with others, doing what they're doing and having them do what you do. Watching you play, it made me suddenly very happy to know that very soon we'd be giving you a lifetime playmate. You have so much fun with other kids, you are going to adore having a brother here to play with all the time.

So even though it may seem at first like you're losing something, I hope you know how much you're gaining as well. Someone new to love and play with. Someone new to love and adore you.

And know that these last 20 months with just you in my life, a single, perfect angel girl for me to love and dote on, have been the most amazing 20 months of my life. You have made me infinitely happier than I ever realized was possible before. You have made me laugh a million times. Your hugs and kisses make my heart melt, and I love nothing more in the world than to hear your sweet voice calling, "Mommy? Mommy?" or to hear you yell "Mommy!!!" and then run toward me, arms outstretched, when I pick you up from school.

You were and will forever be my first. You introduced me to motherhood. You taught me how to be a parent. You touched my life in a way no one has ever or will ever touch it again.

You are my sunshine and you will always and forever be my sunshine.

And you will always, always be my very special girl.

I love you,
Mom