Dear Audrey

Welcome to the world! Your Mommy and I are so happy that you are finally here! You have no idea how many people have been looking forward to this day and all the people who will want to see pictures of you and squeeze your little cheekies and pinch your cute little bum. You are here in a huge, exciting, and beautiful world and surrounded by a big fat loving family who all love you.

There has never been a better time in the history of ever to be a baby girl in our world. More than ever before, your generation will have amazing opportunities in front of you to choose from as you get older and try to decide the kind of life you want to live.

I want so many things for you, and I dream all the time about the kind of life you might live. Audrey, what I wish for you is to be safe, for you to be happy, and for you to have a fulfilling and authentic life full of meaningful and treasured relationships and experiences.

I hope that you will take after your mommy in so many ways! I hope that you will grow up to become a person of integrity, class, and confidence. I hope that you will find a voice of your own and not be afraid to speak your mind. I hope that you will be bold, and I hope that you will be unstoppable! I hope that you will have a very big and tender heart that will inspire you to lift everyone around you. I hope that, when the time is right, you will find someone who loves you and that you will love that person the same way that your mommy loves me.

I’m so excited for everything we are going to do together and for the stories we’ll be able to tell of our adventures together. I look forward to holding you, walking with you, teaching you to ride a bike, learning the names of the characters from your favorite stories and shows, teaching you to play Monopoly and Settlers of Catan (pro-tip: Don’t beat Mommy, you could get grounded). I can’t wait to bring you awesome comic books, invent new pizzas, take you to Disneyland, read Harry Potter, and to teach you funny Japanese words. I’m excited to take you to important places and to explore new places with you. I’m excited to tell you all about some of the precious people who sadly couldn’t be here to meet you, such as your Great-Grandma Bev.

Mommy will get all the fun parts when you are older, like teaching you about “girl stuff” and how to dress yourself (she still gives me lessons on that). Some of the more serious daddy jobs will be interesting to figure out, like teaching you how to drive and going camping and shooting stuff (I’ve got homework to do in all those departments).

Mommy and I will also always be here for you to help you figure out things on your own, such as navigating through your first heartbreak. To be honest, I’m a bit scared for when that stuff happens because it is my first time being a daddy (and mommy’s first time being a mommy). I hope you’ll be able to understand that and that you’ll find it in your tender heart to forgive us for the mistakes that we (mostly me) will make.

Little Audrey, I am so excited because of everything you will be bringing into our lives and into the lives of all the friends and family that surround you. But I’m even more excited to see the important things that you will bring into your own life, and to watch you find a passion that drives you, and to see what you will choose for your life’s mission and meaning.

I’ve taken up all of this time to tell you the things I want and hope for you, and you are probably tired of reading it, but I wanted to add one more: The single most important thing that I want for you is to love yourself and be loved for who you are, despite how much your life may or may not align with anyone else’s expectations or hopes or dreams for you. That is so much more important than anything else on this gigantic wishlist.

To take a quote from one of my favorite books (which will hopefully be among your own favorites one day, but we’ll read Harry Potter together whether you like it or not): You are so loved.

Welcome home!

Love,

Daddy.