Dear Emery,
When your mommy got pregnant, one thing that worried me the most was how healthy you and your brother would be when you were born. I had always heard people say that they didn’t care if they were having a boy or a girl, as long as they were healthy. I never believed this until I became an expecting father. I really worried about you having messed up feet because of me. The thing that I was the most curious about was how you would look. To this day, I am baffled about how I could have a daughter that is, without dispute, a beautiful little girl. With blue eyes and blond hair, unlike both of your parents.
You are the most stubborn person that I’ve ever met. I say this merely as a point of fact, not as an opinion. There are times that I can appreciate that you are headstrong and stand up for what you believe. I hope that never changes about you. Then there is the other 95% of the time. This is when you call everything a pickle, or repeat a single word over and over. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Hungry. Annoying. By the time that you can read this, you will be used to my candid and honest demeanor. I will always be honest with you, regardless of me being your dad. When you were born, I though that you kind of looked like an alien with enormous eyes.
I think that you’ve become the most beautiful little girl that I know. There are times that we’ve been on play dates with other kids and strangers approach us and tell us how beautiful you are in front of the other kids AND moms. Or ask to touch your hair. It is incredibly flattering and awkward/weird at the same time.
The dangerous combo is that you are the smartest little girl that I know, too. You were potty trained a year before anybody else in you preschool. Same with your shapes, letters, colors, etc. In fact, along with your stubbornness, I didn’t realize that in your class, you would put on a witch’s hat and teach the other kids. Do you know why I didn’t know this? Because whenever I asked you what you did in school, you gave the same answer for three and half years, “I just went right to sleep”.
Please don’t be like me and become an underachiever in school. I know that it is easy to learn new things, but you need to do the boring daily work, too. You are quick to laugh with your infectious, if not devilish laugh. Or Chuckle. Or cackle. Thank you for bringing so much joy into my life. You are and always will be my favorite little girl.
Love,
Dad
Out of all your letters I've enjoyed this one the most. Probably because as a Dad to 3 beautiful daughters mysepf, I can relate to this letter and the feelings I had when they were born. And yes I to was "I only want a healthy baby, I'm not worried if they are boys or girl" Dad in waiting to!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, intelligent, headstrong. I'm thankful that I didn't have girls like that -- he said sardonically. As they get older, you realize that they are going to break a few hearts. And you'll be willing to bloody the one who breaks theirs. Just remind every boy that she dates how big you are and how much you love your daughter.
ReplyDeleteThanks Paul,
ReplyDeleteI hope to one day give these letters to the kids, when they are adults. Maybe when they graduate high school. They might react a little more interested then.