Dear Tiny,
Today Dad and I took a short road trip to a town in New Jersey. We love road trips. In fact last year we took our honeymoon out west and drove down the coast for a couple weeks. We don't often get to drive because we don't own a car in Brooklyn, so having the chance to drive with music or podcasts in the background and the windows down is an awesome treat!
All weekend I wondered if you were on your way but it looks like you will be an October baby after all. That suits me just fine... for some reason I have a terrible time remembering birthdays that take place towards the end of the month. Isn't that weird? I'm sure your birthday will be cemented in my brain (for obvious reasons), but I'm happy that you'll likely be a first-half-of-month kid.
Last night around 4am I thought I might be going into labor and I ate a banana in our living room. The cats were nearby and I wasn't in pain, but was definitely feeling uncomfortable. I was very calm, though, which surprised me. When I think about labor abstractly, I feel a bit anxious and scared... but I was glad to know that, when I thought it was go-time, I felt very calm and ready.
Love,
Mama
9/29/12
Dear Tiny,
Well, I have procrastinated long enough (almost nine months) and you will soon be here with us so I decided I'd better post my thoughts. Tiny, I think about you everyday and am so excited to have a grandchild, but I absolutely hate writing things for the public to read. That's the first thing I want you to know. Of course, I do e-mail and text and I am never without my iPhone but I would much rather communicate personally via e-mail or even better, the good old-fashioned telephone! There's nothing I like more than actually talking "live" to someone! So when you get old enough to use a phone, please call me so I can hear your sweet voice. That will make me very happy! By the way, I do have a Facebook account, but I rarely use it because I never remember the password! And I will never write to you there!
You are going to be one very lucky little boy! So many people already love you and are so excited about your arrival. As the first grandchild/nephew, you will always hold a special place in our hearts. Pop-Pop and I are thrilled to have a grandchild and your Uncle Steve and Aunt Kate are ready to spoil you rotten! Your Mama was our first child and she was the first grandchild in the Reinert/Epting family so she knows what I mean.
Motherhood has been my greatest accomplishment and I know being a grandmother will be just as wonderful. I am a nurse so I am always here if you have questions or are concerned about anything. Aunt Kate is now a nurse, too, so she's here for you as well.
I am so looking forward to having you visit, teaching you to bake Christmas cookies, taking you to the pool (I love to swim laps), reading books to you, telling you stories about your ancestors, doing all the other things grandmothers love to do, but most importantly, I can't wait to snuggle you and rock you to sleep!
You are so fortunate to have such wonderful parents who will give you all the love they have to offer! It's a little more than a year since their wedding which was such a joyous occasion. We are very lucky to have your Daddy join our family and your Mama was so lucky to find him. Individually, both of them are fantastic people, but together they are unbeatable and they will always be there to provide you with whatever you need. But always remember that Pop-Pop and I are just a phone call, text, or e-mail away (actually don't text Pop-Pop as he never turns his cell phone on), so please don't ever hesitate to ask if you need anything.
Be good to your Mama and take it easy on her during labor! I had a pretty easy time giving birth to her so I hope you will do the same! We're all excitedly waiting your arrival into the world and remember that we all love you very, very much!
Love,
Nana. xo
Well, I have procrastinated long enough (almost nine months) and you will soon be here with us so I decided I'd better post my thoughts. Tiny, I think about you everyday and am so excited to have a grandchild, but I absolutely hate writing things for the public to read. That's the first thing I want you to know. Of course, I do e-mail and text and I am never without my iPhone but I would much rather communicate personally via e-mail or even better, the good old-fashioned telephone! There's nothing I like more than actually talking "live" to someone! So when you get old enough to use a phone, please call me so I can hear your sweet voice. That will make me very happy! By the way, I do have a Facebook account, but I rarely use it because I never remember the password! And I will never write to you there!
You are going to be one very lucky little boy! So many people already love you and are so excited about your arrival. As the first grandchild/nephew, you will always hold a special place in our hearts. Pop-Pop and I are thrilled to have a grandchild and your Uncle Steve and Aunt Kate are ready to spoil you rotten! Your Mama was our first child and she was the first grandchild in the Reinert/Epting family so she knows what I mean.
Motherhood has been my greatest accomplishment and I know being a grandmother will be just as wonderful. I am a nurse so I am always here if you have questions or are concerned about anything. Aunt Kate is now a nurse, too, so she's here for you as well.
I am so looking forward to having you visit, teaching you to bake Christmas cookies, taking you to the pool (I love to swim laps), reading books to you, telling you stories about your ancestors, doing all the other things grandmothers love to do, but most importantly, I can't wait to snuggle you and rock you to sleep!
You are so fortunate to have such wonderful parents who will give you all the love they have to offer! It's a little more than a year since their wedding which was such a joyous occasion. We are very lucky to have your Daddy join our family and your Mama was so lucky to find him. Individually, both of them are fantastic people, but together they are unbeatable and they will always be there to provide you with whatever you need. But always remember that Pop-Pop and I are just a phone call, text, or e-mail away (actually don't text Pop-Pop as he never turns his cell phone on), so please don't ever hesitate to ask if you need anything.
Be good to your Mama and take it easy on her during labor! I had a pretty easy time giving birth to her so I hope you will do the same! We're all excitedly waiting your arrival into the world and remember that we all love you very, very much!
Love,
Nana. xo
9/28/12
Dear Tiny,
Please do not grow up to be one of the people who don't put their cart back in the right spot at Trader Joe's. Those people ruin it for the rest of us.
Love,
Mama
Please do not grow up to be one of the people who don't put their cart back in the right spot at Trader Joe's. Those people ruin it for the rest of us.
Love,
Mama
9/27/12
Dear Tiny,
This morning our midwife touched your head when she did an initial exam to see how things are progressing towards labor. Isn't that the most bizarre thing to think about? Someone touched your head! Your first human touch! (I don't count the fact that you LIVE in me because that seems like a different thing, by the way...)
Things look pretty good and Dad and I were surprised that I'm already a bit dilated. It sounds like you won't go past your due date and we agreed that we really need to pack that hospital bag stat! I brought home a bunch of stuff from my desk at work today in case you come before Monday... that's a surreal feeling, let me tell you.
Hearing that you were progressing nicely and knowing that your head is down and such made it all so real for me. I know that I say a different version of that sentence every week, but it didn't make me scared of labor; instead it made me focused and driven about getting enough rest so that I'm in good shape when you come out.
And on that note, you and I have a date with an early bedtime from now til then. I haven't been awake this much in the middle of the night since college.
See you soon!
Love,
Mama
This morning our midwife touched your head when she did an initial exam to see how things are progressing towards labor. Isn't that the most bizarre thing to think about? Someone touched your head! Your first human touch! (I don't count the fact that you LIVE in me because that seems like a different thing, by the way...)
Things look pretty good and Dad and I were surprised that I'm already a bit dilated. It sounds like you won't go past your due date and we agreed that we really need to pack that hospital bag stat! I brought home a bunch of stuff from my desk at work today in case you come before Monday... that's a surreal feeling, let me tell you.
Hearing that you were progressing nicely and knowing that your head is down and such made it all so real for me. I know that I say a different version of that sentence every week, but it didn't make me scared of labor; instead it made me focused and driven about getting enough rest so that I'm in good shape when you come out.
And on that note, you and I have a date with an early bedtime from now til then. I haven't been awake this much in the middle of the night since college.
See you soon!
Love,
Mama
9/26/12
Dear Tiny,
One of the best things about this pregnancy has been watching the election coverage on The Daily Show. It's seriously the funniest thing around and I like to think that these big belly laughs are doing good things for your sense of humor.
Love,
Mama
One of the best things about this pregnancy has been watching the election coverage on The Daily Show. It's seriously the funniest thing around and I like to think that these big belly laughs are doing good things for your sense of humor.
Love,
Mama
9/25/12
Dear Tiny,
Yikes! We just met with Alexandra, our doula, who will be with us for your birth... and the next time we see her, you will be on your way! She confirmed that we're ready and told us to enjoy the days we have left as a couple, so tonight after she left we took a walk and got McFlurries from McDonald's. You know, very romantic stuff over here.
My friend Laura had her baby this afternoon and now there's no one that I know whose due date is before ours... we're next, bud! I hope you're getting ready. We can't wait to see what you look like!
Love,
Mama
P.S. My guess is that you will have light hair and brown eyes. After some extensive googling of Punnett squares, I think the blue eyes of every member of my family will be trounced by the brown eyes of every member of Dad's. Oh well!
Yikes! We just met with Alexandra, our doula, who will be with us for your birth... and the next time we see her, you will be on your way! She confirmed that we're ready and told us to enjoy the days we have left as a couple, so tonight after she left we took a walk and got McFlurries from McDonald's. You know, very romantic stuff over here.
My friend Laura had her baby this afternoon and now there's no one that I know whose due date is before ours... we're next, bud! I hope you're getting ready. We can't wait to see what you look like!
Love,
Mama
P.S. My guess is that you will have light hair and brown eyes. After some extensive googling of Punnett squares, I think the blue eyes of every member of my family will be trounced by the brown eyes of every member of Dad's. Oh well!
9/24/12
Dear Tiny,
Well we're ready for you now! Tonight the bassinet arrived and Dad put it together. You're going to sleep next to our bed for the first couple of months... we hear that we'll actually get better sleep that way. (Although who are we kidding? We're not getting any sleep anytime soon.) Although don't get too comfy! You have your own bedroom and when we're ready for you to sleep in it, that train is leaving the station, young sir.
Love,
Mama
Well we're ready for you now! Tonight the bassinet arrived and Dad put it together. You're going to sleep next to our bed for the first couple of months... we hear that we'll actually get better sleep that way. (Although who are we kidding? We're not getting any sleep anytime soon.) Although don't get too comfy! You have your own bedroom and when we're ready for you to sleep in it, that train is leaving the station, young sir.
Love,
Mama
9/18-9/23/12
Dear Tiny,
Lately it's been harder to find the energy to sit down and write a post at the end of every day. I usually scribble down a few words about you each day and even if I can't actually write the post each day, I can backfill every few days or so. Today I've already taken 2 naps, so I'm going to do a combo post. This week:
Lately it's been harder to find the energy to sit down and write a post at the end of every day. I usually scribble down a few words about you each day and even if I can't actually write the post each day, I can backfill every few days or so. Today I've already taken 2 naps, so I'm going to do a combo post. This week:
- Dad and I went to a Bon Iver concert at Radio City Music Hall (you liked the old songs the best... GOOD TASTE!)
- Aunt Kate came to visit for a few nights and we went to another Bon Iver concert (!) and took a look at a copy of my chart and examined you from my bump... she says that I'm "full of baby" at this point. Woo!
- Our midwives declared you fully-baked! We hit 37 weeks earlier this week and so you're now officially full-term. You can come whenever you'd like!
- One of your Arc90 friends was born! Baby Anthony was born yesterday morning and we're all looking forward to you coming out to meet him...
- I've started to have some Braxton Hicks (fake contractions) and it's feeling much more real that you're on your way. Especially since Anthony was born... we're next in line and we keep wondering when you'll get here. Odds are that you'll be late but of course Dad and I wonder 10 times a day if I'm about to go into labor.
We're feeling ready, buddy!
Love,
Mama
9/17/12
Dear Tiny,
I'm in charge of the Annual Reviews at work and I've had quite a few reviews to give in the past week. They continued today and I thought about how managing people is a little bit like I imagine parenting to be on some level; you set people up with the best situation you can and then you encourage them to thrive and support them to do so. Still, at the end of the day, they're their own people and they've got to find their way.
Wouldn't it be funny if Dad and I gave you an annual review every year? And set out challenges for you to tackle? And talked about how you grew the year before and what we hoped for you in the next year? Don't worry, we won't put you through that... but I can't promise that you won't get some flavor of that in the conversations that we have naturally over dinner sometimes. We are both pretty reflective people!
Love,
Mama
I'm in charge of the Annual Reviews at work and I've had quite a few reviews to give in the past week. They continued today and I thought about how managing people is a little bit like I imagine parenting to be on some level; you set people up with the best situation you can and then you encourage them to thrive and support them to do so. Still, at the end of the day, they're their own people and they've got to find their way.
Wouldn't it be funny if Dad and I gave you an annual review every year? And set out challenges for you to tackle? And talked about how you grew the year before and what we hoped for you in the next year? Don't worry, we won't put you through that... but I can't promise that you won't get some flavor of that in the conversations that we have naturally over dinner sometimes. We are both pretty reflective people!
Love,
Mama
9/16/12
Dear Tiny,
Tonight I wondered if I was about to go into labor. I put myself on couch rest and tried to stay as relaxed as possible. Dad comes home Tuesday morning and I really would like him to be here when you come out! It's hard to explain why I felt like you might be on your way, but a lot of pregnancy has been about this feeling, not knowing what's going on with your body but trying to intuit something anyway.
Hold on another 36 hours at least, ok? It's a bit too early for you to come anyway and it will be much less stressful overall if you arrive when Dad's in town!
Love,
Mama
Tonight I wondered if I was about to go into labor. I put myself on couch rest and tried to stay as relaxed as possible. Dad comes home Tuesday morning and I really would like him to be here when you come out! It's hard to explain why I felt like you might be on your way, but a lot of pregnancy has been about this feeling, not knowing what's going on with your body but trying to intuit something anyway.
Hold on another 36 hours at least, ok? It's a bit too early for you to come anyway and it will be much less stressful overall if you arrive when Dad's in town!
Love,
Mama
9/15/12
Dear Tiny,
Today you and I are having brunch with my 3rd grade teacher! Isn't that funny? She was a great teacher and I've always kept in touch... she'll be in NYC today so we're meeting up. I hope you grow up with wonderful teachers that you love and who inspire you. Dad and I will try to make sure you go to great schools.
Love,
Mama
Today you and I are having brunch with my 3rd grade teacher! Isn't that funny? She was a great teacher and I've always kept in touch... she'll be in NYC today so we're meeting up. I hope you grow up with wonderful teachers that you love and who inspire you. Dad and I will try to make sure you go to great schools.
Love,
Mama
9/14/12
Dear Tiny,
Tonight you and I went to the movies and then SNUCK INTO A SECOND ONE! I've always wanted to do that and since Dad was out of town I decided tonight was the night. I don't know when I'll have enough time to get out of the house for TWO movies, let alone one, so it seemed like a good day to do this.
I think you liked the movies, by the way. You were kicking like crazy and luckily you were inside my belly. You would have totally given us away if you were on the outside!
Love,
Your sidekick in crime (Mama)
P.S. Don't grow up to be a criminal because you were involved in one illegal act in utero.
Tonight you and I went to the movies and then SNUCK INTO A SECOND ONE! I've always wanted to do that and since Dad was out of town I decided tonight was the night. I don't know when I'll have enough time to get out of the house for TWO movies, let alone one, so it seemed like a good day to do this.
I think you liked the movies, by the way. You were kicking like crazy and luckily you were inside my belly. You would have totally given us away if you were on the outside!
Love,
Your sidekick in crime (Mama)
P.S. Don't grow up to be a criminal because you were involved in one illegal act in utero.
9/13/12
Dear Tiny,
Today I had a migraine headache. Those are the worst. I could feel it coming on at work but I was giving someone their Annual Review, so I held it together until the end and then you and I took a cab ride back to Brooklyn where I laid down for a few hours in a dark room. I was a little worried that the migraine was either a sign of labor coming early or could cause labor to come and, as we discussed this morning, you are to stay where you are until Dad gets home from Portland!
I'm feeling better now but a bit fragile. Being sick made me realize how difficult it will be for me to take care of myself sometimes when I have kids. The mom can't just go in her room and close the door... especially if the dad isn't home!
I grew up with a mom who is a nurse and she was always able to tell us what she thought was wrong when we weren't feeling good. I will definitely be calling Nana and Aunt Kate to see what they think if you get the sniffles or aren't feeling right. Your grandpa is a nurse too, so we've got plenty of medical opinions to go around and keep you safe.
Love,
Mama
Today I had a migraine headache. Those are the worst. I could feel it coming on at work but I was giving someone their Annual Review, so I held it together until the end and then you and I took a cab ride back to Brooklyn where I laid down for a few hours in a dark room. I was a little worried that the migraine was either a sign of labor coming early or could cause labor to come and, as we discussed this morning, you are to stay where you are until Dad gets home from Portland!
I'm feeling better now but a bit fragile. Being sick made me realize how difficult it will be for me to take care of myself sometimes when I have kids. The mom can't just go in her room and close the door... especially if the dad isn't home!
I grew up with a mom who is a nurse and she was always able to tell us what she thought was wrong when we weren't feeling good. I will definitely be calling Nana and Aunt Kate to see what they think if you get the sniffles or aren't feeling right. Your grandpa is a nurse too, so we've got plenty of medical opinions to go around and keep you safe.
Love,
Mama
9/12/12
Dear Tiny,
Well, we've got a month to go! At today's midwife appointment you were measuring fine and your heartbeat was strong. The midwife said that we'll start coming weekly now and they're going to explain labor stuff to us next week. I made an early appointment so that Dad can come too.
I wonder which midwife will be on call when you decide to make your entrance?
Love,
Mama
Well, we've got a month to go! At today's midwife appointment you were measuring fine and your heartbeat was strong. The midwife said that we'll start coming weekly now and they're going to explain labor stuff to us next week. I made an early appointment so that Dad can come too.
I wonder which midwife will be on call when you decide to make your entrance?
Love,
Mama
9/11/12
Dear Tiny,
When I was walking to work a few minutes ago, I saw a woman talking on her phone. She had headphones in and was holding the phone in front of her face... I saw on the screen that she was talking with her mom.
Isn't it strange that I will be listed under "Mom" in your phone one day? (That's if they still have phones at that point...)
Love,
Mama
When I was walking to work a few minutes ago, I saw a woman talking on her phone. She had headphones in and was holding the phone in front of her face... I saw on the screen that she was talking with her mom.
Isn't it strange that I will be listed under "Mom" in your phone one day? (That's if they still have phones at that point...)
Love,
Mama
9/6 - 9/10/12
Dear Tiny,
The past few days have been a blur, so this letter will be longer than normal. We spent much of the weekend preparing the apartment for your arrival. First Dad helped move all the furniture around in the nursery, then we did a ton of your laundry, organized your clothes by size, made your crib up, set up the video monitor, organized your books, hung pictures on the wall, replaced the knobs on our old dresser with knobs shaped like bunnies and squirrels and owls and packed the diaper bag.
We also did a bunch of other home improvement projects. Dad made several trips to the hardware store and I did my share of closet cleaning and craft box organization. Why am I telling you all this? Well Tiny, I was nesting so much that Dad joked that I was about to go into labor! And after the second or third time he joked about this, I started to wonder if that was true...
Would you be 5 weeks early? Was I about to go into labor in the middle of a torn apart closet?
Definitely not. But the power of suggestion is a crazy thing and late last night when I couldn't sleep, I suddenly got so scared. I was afraid of labor, I was afraid of bringing you home and I was afraid of raising a baby. I know, logically, that we're going to have a great time together... but last night I wondered if we had completely screwed up our happy married lives and the freedom that comes with it.
I feel kind of bad admitting this here, but I think it's important to put out there. Your parents, who love you very, very much, are deeply affected by your presence on this planet. And even though we want you to join our family pronto, we are also dealing with how our current lives will change. One day you will come to a crossroads in your life that has pros and cons; the cons will not be deep enough to prevent you from taking action, but nonetheless you will find yourself mourning the loss of something along the way. That's how we feel.
Tonight we went to a breastfeeding class, where we learned all about how to get you the calories you need in your first few months. They handed out dolls for us to practice holding and when I put that doll on my belly, you did NOT like it! You kicked that doll over and over again.
We got the message. We're YOUR parents. And though one day we hope you will have to learn to share us with other siblings, for the moment we are here for you.
Dad is traveling to Portland later this week (I'm so jealous! I can't wait to take you there one day...), so you and I will be hanging around on our own this weekend. Please try not to come out until Dad comes home. We both want to be there to greet you when you enter this world. We're not always 100% confident about it, but that's the pure truth.
Love,
Mama
The past few days have been a blur, so this letter will be longer than normal. We spent much of the weekend preparing the apartment for your arrival. First Dad helped move all the furniture around in the nursery, then we did a ton of your laundry, organized your clothes by size, made your crib up, set up the video monitor, organized your books, hung pictures on the wall, replaced the knobs on our old dresser with knobs shaped like bunnies and squirrels and owls and packed the diaper bag.
We also did a bunch of other home improvement projects. Dad made several trips to the hardware store and I did my share of closet cleaning and craft box organization. Why am I telling you all this? Well Tiny, I was nesting so much that Dad joked that I was about to go into labor! And after the second or third time he joked about this, I started to wonder if that was true...
Would you be 5 weeks early? Was I about to go into labor in the middle of a torn apart closet?
Definitely not. But the power of suggestion is a crazy thing and late last night when I couldn't sleep, I suddenly got so scared. I was afraid of labor, I was afraid of bringing you home and I was afraid of raising a baby. I know, logically, that we're going to have a great time together... but last night I wondered if we had completely screwed up our happy married lives and the freedom that comes with it.
I feel kind of bad admitting this here, but I think it's important to put out there. Your parents, who love you very, very much, are deeply affected by your presence on this planet. And even though we want you to join our family pronto, we are also dealing with how our current lives will change. One day you will come to a crossroads in your life that has pros and cons; the cons will not be deep enough to prevent you from taking action, but nonetheless you will find yourself mourning the loss of something along the way. That's how we feel.
Tonight we went to a breastfeeding class, where we learned all about how to get you the calories you need in your first few months. They handed out dolls for us to practice holding and when I put that doll on my belly, you did NOT like it! You kicked that doll over and over again.
We got the message. We're YOUR parents. And though one day we hope you will have to learn to share us with other siblings, for the moment we are here for you.
Dad is traveling to Portland later this week (I'm so jealous! I can't wait to take you there one day...), so you and I will be hanging around on our own this weekend. Please try not to come out until Dad comes home. We both want to be there to greet you when you enter this world. We're not always 100% confident about it, but that's the pure truth.
Love,
Mama
9/5/12
Dear Tiny,
Well, we found you a pediatrician. Dad and I went to one of those open houses tonight and sat in the waiting room with 8 other pregnant families to meet the doctor and find out what she's all about. We loved her, so we're checking that off our to-do list. Now we know exactly where we'll be taking you for all 800,000 check-ups you need in your first 12 months of life.
Love,
Mama
P.S. You're going to get a bunch of shots little bud, but stay brave!
Well, we found you a pediatrician. Dad and I went to one of those open houses tonight and sat in the waiting room with 8 other pregnant families to meet the doctor and find out what she's all about. We loved her, so we're checking that off our to-do list. Now we know exactly where we'll be taking you for all 800,000 check-ups you need in your first 12 months of life.
Love,
Mama
P.S. You're going to get a bunch of shots little bud, but stay brave!
9/4/12
Dear Tiny,
Every night between 8 and 9pm, you develop a case of the hiccups. Isn't that weird? I can't figure out what's causing them (especially since it's not like I'm always doing the same thing during that hour) and it is simultaneously cute and sort of distracting.
Cute because... BABY HICCUPS!
Distracting because... HEY STOP BUMPING MY STOMACH CONSISTENTLY ON A REGULAR RHYTHM!
Love,
Mama
Every night between 8 and 9pm, you develop a case of the hiccups. Isn't that weird? I can't figure out what's causing them (especially since it's not like I'm always doing the same thing during that hour) and it is simultaneously cute and sort of distracting.
Cute because... BABY HICCUPS!
Distracting because... HEY STOP BUMPING MY STOMACH CONSISTENTLY ON A REGULAR RHYTHM!
Love,
Mama
9/3/12
Dear Tiny,
This weekend Dad and I relaxed and I got a prenatal massage. Towards the end the masseuse massaged my belly and I wondered if you could feel it. A few minutes later you were kicking a ton... what a luxurious life you have to get a massage before you're even born! It took me 27 years to get my first massage and even now I would hardly call them regular. (Even though I do love the indulgence once a year!) Maybe Dad and I can massage you a little bit after your baths sometimes... I hear babies love that!
Love,
Mama
This weekend Dad and I relaxed and I got a prenatal massage. Towards the end the masseuse massaged my belly and I wondered if you could feel it. A few minutes later you were kicking a ton... what a luxurious life you have to get a massage before you're even born! It took me 27 years to get my first massage and even now I would hardly call them regular. (Even though I do love the indulgence once a year!) Maybe Dad and I can massage you a little bit after your baths sometimes... I hear babies love that!
Love,
Mama
9/2/12
Dear Tiny,
Compared to the others who will write to you, I know your family only a very little bit. What’s more, I live far away in California, so I probably won’t meet you for a long time. Still, I wanted to tell you how excited I am for you that you have such great parents. They are cheerful and smart and generous and kind. They can’t wait to meet you. You are lucky.
I met your parents about a year ago at camp for grown-ups. There were a lot of people there and I didn’t really know anybody and I was by myself. That can be kind of scary. Your parents had only just gotten married, and they could have been perfectly happy together not talking to anyone else. But you know what? They didn’t make their happiness a secret clubhouse to hide in; they made their happiness an open door and they invited everyone in. If they saw someone standing around, they introduced themselves and they were so nice that each new person felt like she was already their friend.
A couple days later, I told your mother how much I had appreciated her kindness when I was feeling shy and you know what she said? “Oh, we decided before we came that since there were two of us, we needed to be twice as friendly.”
Because you are new to the world, you do not yet know how extraordinary that statement is, but, someday, I think you will smile and be proud.
Now there will be THREE of you, so there’s going to be a whole lot of friendliness wherever your family goes together. I expect it will bring all kinds of great people into your life. I hope all of you have a wonderful adventure.
Love,
Kari
Compared to the others who will write to you, I know your family only a very little bit. What’s more, I live far away in California, so I probably won’t meet you for a long time. Still, I wanted to tell you how excited I am for you that you have such great parents. They are cheerful and smart and generous and kind. They can’t wait to meet you. You are lucky.
I met your parents about a year ago at camp for grown-ups. There were a lot of people there and I didn’t really know anybody and I was by myself. That can be kind of scary. Your parents had only just gotten married, and they could have been perfectly happy together not talking to anyone else. But you know what? They didn’t make their happiness a secret clubhouse to hide in; they made their happiness an open door and they invited everyone in. If they saw someone standing around, they introduced themselves and they were so nice that each new person felt like she was already their friend.
A couple days later, I told your mother how much I had appreciated her kindness when I was feeling shy and you know what she said? “Oh, we decided before we came that since there were two of us, we needed to be twice as friendly.”
Because you are new to the world, you do not yet know how extraordinary that statement is, but, someday, I think you will smile and be proud.
Now there will be THREE of you, so there’s going to be a whole lot of friendliness wherever your family goes together. I expect it will bring all kinds of great people into your life. I hope all of you have a wonderful adventure.
Love,
Kari
9/1/12
Dear Tiny-
In your life, you will meet many people who are good listeners. This is an important quality. Look for it. Your mom is special because she is not only a good listener, but a great questioner too. Some of my favorite memories of her happened when we were in college. We would sitting staring at the snow and she would suddenly say "Leigh- where do you see your life in fifteen years from this moment?" "Guys, if you had go to one place on the earth to live forever, where would it be?' She's great at starting conversations. I bet your dad likes this too. Normal moms will ask things like "How was your day?" Boring! I bet your mom will say something like "Tiny- I want to think about the three best things that happened today and tell me why they were amazing." You're so lucky! I can't wait to meet you- and to hear the answers you'll have to all of your Mom's fabulous questions.
Love,
Leigh
In your life, you will meet many people who are good listeners. This is an important quality. Look for it. Your mom is special because she is not only a good listener, but a great questioner too. Some of my favorite memories of her happened when we were in college. We would sitting staring at the snow and she would suddenly say "Leigh- where do you see your life in fifteen years from this moment?" "Guys, if you had go to one place on the earth to live forever, where would it be?' She's great at starting conversations. I bet your dad likes this too. Normal moms will ask things like "How was your day?" Boring! I bet your mom will say something like "Tiny- I want to think about the three best things that happened today and tell me why they were amazing." You're so lucky! I can't wait to meet you- and to hear the answers you'll have to all of your Mom's fabulous questions.
Love,
Leigh
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