The Things You Will Do
A Letter/Poem to My Daughter (2)
We made it to the morning after a rough night’s sleep. You’re peaceful now, squirming around in your crib with a fresh diaper. Sunlight is spilling in through the blinds and you’re entranced by it, stretching your little hands toward the source.
You’re four months old today, a third of the way to your first birthday. Time is a thief, as they say. Recently you’ve started laughing, and it has become our mission to coax out those precious giggles by any means necessary. You’re 24 inches long and 12lbs 11oz, and you change by the day.
I’m laying in the bed beside yours, thinking about my life, and how some of my favorite parts (that I didn’t realize were my favorite at the time) are now over – like winning a race or a big soccer match, or sitting in a starbucks on a college campus, studying and planning for the future.
While I’m nostalgic for these days now that they’re behind me, I’m elated for all the experiences that lie ahead of you. To be alive and to enjoy the world with all of your senses is the greatest gift.
you’ll taste your first strawberry juice dripping from your chin tart and sweet it’ll make you grin you’ll watch the bugs crawling to and fro and once you start walking you’ll be always on-the-go you’ll scoot around the neighborhood on your bike, bright blue and when you wipe out we’ll be there to catch you you’ll splash in the waves, dig your toes in the sand you’ll cuddle with mommy and hold daddy’s hand you’ll roll in the grass and pick lots of flowers dirt under your fingernails you’ll stay there for hours you’ll do fun crafts and make a mess with the glitter but fear not, little one it won’t make us bitter you’ll watch pretty sunsets and hike mountain peaks you’ll get nervous for soccer games and big swim meets you’ll lick the batter out of the brownie bowl and you’ll cozy up in your favorite sweater when winter brings the cold you’ll lay in a hammock gazing towards the clouds birds all chirping you’ll delight in the sounds you’ll drive too fast with the windows down hair whipping in the wind freedom abounds you’ll get butterflies when you take a dare you’ll jump from high places and give your mom a scare you’ll get excited over a new pair of shoes and you’ll big belly laugh when you’ve had too much booze you’ll sit around a campfire in a national park and you’ll go scuba-diving to see a shark you’ll lose your favorite pair of sunglasses on a spring break trip and you’ll start to enjoy giving people gifts you’ll make tons of friends and you’ll lose some too you’ll have first loves and first breakups even these, you’ll get through you’ll cuddle with your puppy after a long hard day sinking into the couch you know it’ll be okay you’ll sit in libraries surrounded by books you’ll visit coffee shops and be greeted with warm looks oh, and you’ll travel to destinations far and wide rocky coasts and ancient ruins maybe a hot air balloon ride you’ll make memories on vacations unreal and you’ll gain new perspectives that will change how you feel you’ll play your music loud singing your favorite songs and for a little while it will right all the wrongs you’ll watch movies that will make you cry and as you grow older you’ll figure out why you’ll make mistakes large and small you might learn the hard way but you’ll keep standing tall you’ll stare into the eyes of the ones you love twinkling and shining like the stars above you’ll outgrow people and places oh, the things you will learn but always remember, my baby, life allows u-turns you have so much life ahead, you’ll see I can’t wait to watch all of the wonderful things you will do and who you will be Love, Your mama