Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Dear Little Miss Neek - repost 4/23/2008

Dear Little Miss Neek,

It's about 5 weeks until your arrival, and I haven't written to you yet. I talk to you all the time though. I address you as Neek most of the time , and so does your dad (Neek is a hybrid of Nerd and Geek, which we came up with the day we found out the news about you). I call you Spastic Baby when you move around a lot (which is quite a bit), and sometimes I escalate to threatening to sell you on eBay when you're Spastic Baby for too long & I'm trying to get to sleep. I do love that I can always feel you. At first I thought you were in distress because of how much you were moving, but then I read that babies in distress are very, very quiet. So I know that you're doing quite well by the sheer magnitude of your movements. That is so very reassuring.



Your dad and I are waiting anxiously for your arrival. You really have a great dad. By the time you read this, of course you'll realize that. I just have to reiterate that I don't think you could do much better. He's patient, kind, smart, loving, funny, and adores you already. He talks to you all the time, feels you kick, and tells me all the things he wants to teach you. You will be his partner in crime in eating breakfast food and watching science fiction shows. He has even requested lessons in braiding hair so that he can make a decent braid in the event that I'm not home & you want braids that day. You're going to have a very special bond with him, and I hope you find similar attributes in a life partner.



I love you immensely already. I must admit that I'm nervous about this new role I'm going to take on. One thing that I'm sure you've already learned about me is that I'm serious. Your dad is the light-hearted, playful one. I am the one who takes life a little too seriously and needs to lighten up. Believe it or not, I have lightened up considerably since I met your dad, yet I know I have far to go. There's an aspect of parenting that does require the serious side, but there's also this incredible opportunity to see the world in a whole different way. I'm looking forward to experiencing the world through your eyes, making snow angels with you, and pulling pranks on your dad while trying to stifle giggles.



I want to support you in becoming who you want to be. The world gives you so many options, and I want you to seize the ones that pique your interest. I would love if you valued education as highly as your dad and I do. It's the one thing that can't be taken away from you, and you can't lose it. Education gives you self-worth; beauty and material possessions are often thought of as providing self-worth, but it is merely an illusion. I want to teach you to be hard-working. I define hard-working as 1) showing up on time, 2) trying your best, and 3) not making excuses. Believe me, if you do all three of those on a regular basis, you'll set yourself apart from most people. And I want to teach you to be compassionate and empathic. If you understand what makes people tick, you will go very far in life.



We can't wait to hold you. We can't wait to see what you look like. We can't wait to find out if you're as spastic in person as you are in utero. And we can't wait to gaze into your eyes for the rest of our lives.



Love,

Mom

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