Dear Olivia

Today marks 14 weeks until you’re here – that is, if you stick with the due date your doctor predicts.  However, you’re already growing so fast, you’re ahead of the curve so you may come out a bit early and I definitely won’t complain.  I cannot wait to meet you and hold you and see your tiny little pink body for the first time.  I’m going to cry when I see you – I’ll just warn you ahead of time.  So you’ll be crying and I’ll be crying but it’ll probably be for two completely different reasons.

Your dad is excited, too, in his own way.  He doesn’t feel you squirming around all the time or kicking – all he sees is mommy getting rounder and a little more cumbersome with each passing day.  I bet if you kicked more for him when he talks to you, that may help.  Let’s try it, shall we?

Your nursery is still a mess but I promise to have it all beautiful and snuggly for you when you get here.  I have all these great things picked out for you to look at to help you develop your sight and lots of stuffed animals and toys for you to explore and chew on.  Chewing on teddy bear ears is great fun, let me tell you.

I’m already so completely in love with you and, truthfully, am quite overwhelmed at the thought of you depending completely on me and daddy for safety, instruction, health and everything else that you’ll need as you grow up.  I mean, I don’t even know what’s going on half the time and now I have to pass on sage wisdom and have the answers for you!  It scares me a little…

I’ll be absolutely honest with you, my little girl.  As your mom, I’ll screw up from time to time.  I’m not perfect.  I won’t always know the right answer.  I will have moments where I misunderstand you or just completely do not get where you’re coming from.  I may even tell you the wrong answer or withhold something because I somehow think that’s better for you.  I will promise you this, though: I will do the best I can always.  No matter what happens in your life, where you decide to go, what you decide to do, who you decide to fall in love with, know that I always love you and will always try to do right by you.

Just as you are about to figure out how to be a baby and a little girl and a teenager and a woman, I am about to figure out how to be a mom.  We’ll figure it out together as best we can.

Now you grow strong and healthy in there and I’ll see you so very soon.

Love always,
momma