Hi, Ava.
As you know, there’s some excitement in our house over this new baby we’re expecting. We’ve each been thinking in abstract terms, mostly, about how things will change when we go from three to four. Things that we’ll lose. Things that we’ll gain. And things we hope won’t change at all. Like the piggy back rides I give you down to the kitchen in the morning. Or the way you turn your head, exposing your neck, so I can give you your “nightly nibbles” before bed. The little rituals and games we have together that we can share when no one else is around.
I know it’s going to be tough in some cases to try to keep these pieces of our relationship intact when there’s another child in the house. Someone else with whom I’ll be eager to create new games. I’m happy that you’re going to be old enough to understand, mostly, that your mom and dad need to spend a lot of time with the new baby. We want you to spend a lot of time with the new baby, too. I’m just sad that you’re not old enough to really understand how important our little connections are to me.
Tomorrow I get to spend the day with you. It seems like a last gasp, somehow. Who knows the next time I’ll ever get to savor this time alone with my first daughter. My big girl. There’ll be piggy back rides. And nibbles. And quiet moments, I hope. Time to just be Dad and Ava. If you ever read this, I hope by that time you still have memories of the special times you and I had together.
Love you, Ms. Snugglesworth.
Pop