Dear Gracie - Revenge is a dish best served cold

Dear Gracie,

Remember on Saturday night, around midnight when you decided to wake up and start crying? And remember how I ran in and put your pacifier in your mouth and begged you to go back to sleep? And then remember how you did for about one minute before you started crying again and I had to come back to your room? And then remember how I pleaded with you to go back to sleep but you didn't and your mom came in and tried to calm you down but you wanted to eat so she fed you? Well, I hope you remember it because I do. And I will...forever. You interrupted your dad finally getting some and I am not a happy camper.

If you don't remember it, then maybe you won't understand when I get you back, but I will. Oh, this injustice will not be forgotten. Revenge is a dish best served cold.

Your Father

Dear Gracie

Oh the things we will do to entertain you. I have danced a jig for your amusement, I speak gibberish at high octaves just to see you smile, and I sing now more than I ever did when you weren't around. Your mother will sound like a crazy woman as she does whatever is needed to get you to smile and I hear her reading to you and I just laugh. To hear a grown woman read "One Berry, Two Berry, pick me a Blueberry" from another room is such a silly thing to hear.

You have a pensive stare that has intrigued us. You stare at the ceiling fans and especially at "your pictures". That group of frames that resides above the sofa has been our saving grace in times when you won't calm down. We still marvel at how you can be so engrossed in them.

I had you resting on my legs, facing "your pictures" and was singing you a ridiculous song that I was making up. It didn't rhyme, which bothers me to no end, but you were enjoying it. It was clear you were tired and slowly my song was putting you to sleep. Your eyes closed and I stopped singing because I assumed you were out, but resting on my legs you let your eyes peek open and you made a slight "huhn" to let me know I needed to continue.

So I did. I made up more verses to the ridiculous picture song and you kept looking at me through those little slits. I would stop and you would smile and "huhn" again for me to continue. It was one of those moments that made me smile.

Love,

Your Father

Dear Gracie

Being a parent can be very rewarding, I knew that going in. When your mother and I started planning to have a baby we knew there would be firsts that would make us so in awe of life. I am still waiting for your first steps, your first word and your first heartbreak but until then I have been stopped dead by a single sound you make. The "Oohhhhh".

I wish I knew what you were thinking. You smile and you chatter on to us but I hear the "oohhhh" from the other room and I just stop and smile. There is such a jubilation in the tone of it. I like to think you are discovering something for the first time and it is amazing you. Simple things like sunlight on the wall or the way the mantle now has a nutcracker on it. All of these are new to you and it makes me smile to think that we get to appreciate the simplest things through your "oohhhh".

I dread the moment that these things start to become standard for you. Your mom and I will do our best to keep exposing you to new things that will make you in awe of the world as much as we have been in awe of you.

Love,

Your Father

Dear Gracie

We now know who you are and it was a surprise I wasn't expecting. You will hear this as you grow older, I thought you would come out a boy. When the doctor held you up and I saw you, I stopped. This was not what I was expecting. Now I can't imagine you any other way. I am going to guess this was just the first of many times you will be something I wouldn't expect and I can't wait to see the woman you will become.

It is an amazing feeling to have you rest your head over my heart. To have you sleep so peacefully on my chest. It has been two weeks and you are already a totally different girl. You can hold your head up, you are starting to open your eyes more, and I am pretty sure you have completely taken over our lives.

You have an amazing mother. You may only think of her as a vending machine right now but she is taking such great care of you and making my job easy. I guess we are becoming your parents because we have begun referring to each other as 'Mom' and 'Dad'. Wasn't really expecting that change.

I hope you keep your cool blue eyes. They are the part of me that passed on to you, the part I hoped you could take from me. You may get cursed with my nose or your mom's skin but I think if you keep those blue eyes you will be able to mesmerize anyone you want. You have already started practicing with me.

Love,

Your Father

Dear Peanut

I'm ready. I can't say for sure what changed in the last week but as your mother and I lay in bed, my hand on her belly feeling you kick at me, I just knew. I want you out here so I can hold you. There was an excitement that built up inside of me and now I have to wait. Please don't make it too much longer.

We saw you on the ultrasound and glimpsed your face. You have my nose and I am so very sorry for that. Your left hand was in front of your eyes and I could only imagine how annoyed you must have been to have us prodding your home but we got to see you and you look almost real.

You are big. Does that mean you are strong enough to face what is about to happen? Are you ready to come out and face the world? Can you conquer it? You don't have to worry though, your mom and I will be here to protect you. I can't wait to watch you do all those first that you will one day do. The wait is going to be worth it for us. So how about you come on out of there and we can start this adventure, huh?

Love,

Your Father

Dear Peanut

Dear Peanut,

I had some time to kill today so I went and bought you The Complete Tales of Peter Rabbit. Your mother thought it would go well with the room we have waiting for you. I got the complete tales because, as you will learn, your father doesn't like to have gaps in a collection. God help us if you inherit that gene.



Now, I want you to know that I don't expect you to be able to read this at first but I want you to be able to think back at all the times you and I sat down and went on adventures with Jemima Puddle-Duck or Benjamin Bunny.

I can't wait to hear the words "Dad, read me a story".

Love,

Your Father

Dear Peanut

Dear Peanut,

Is it bothering you that I am shining a flashlight onto your mom's belly? You seem to want to kick or hit the light so I can't tell if it is because you want it to go away or you are just curious. I want to make sure your vision was working in there so I guess it is.

I must say you are kind of driving your mother crazy with all the wiggling you are doing in there. I jumped the last time you kicked my hand when I was pressing on your mother's belly. Having someone kicking you from the inside isn't the most pleasant thing in the world so try to keep the force down on those.

Your room has started to come together nicely. We are going to start decorating it this weekend so it will be all pretty for you. We are getting ready for you to be here. It is amazing to consider that it is only a couple of months away from your birthday. Funny how on your birthday we get the present.

Love,

Dad

Dear Peanut

Dear Peanut,

I had a dream that you were two days old and you could talk. Your grandmother didn't believe me when I first told her. You said something really simple but for a 2 day old it was very intelligent. I looked at her and said, "The baby can talk", and she said, "That's impossible."

Then you had this look on your face that told me you had gone to the bathroom so when your grandmother was back in the room I looked at you and said, "Did you poop just now?"

You replied with "Yeah, I was bored", and it floored your grandmother. I think it means you will be very smart and very sarcastic. I am glad you will be taking after me.

Love,

Dad

Dear Peanut

Dear Peanut,

You are 22 weeks old and as of this entry you have already cost me more money than a year of comic book store visits. That's OK and all but I just wanted to point that out to you so later when you say I hate you or that I don't love you, you can look back on this.

We bought your baby furniture yesterday so I hope you like it. Maybe you heard your mother and I discussing which ones to buy. Let me clear up the conversation for you since it probably sounded like this...

Wonk Wonk Wonk!!!
Mwamp Mwamp!
Wonk Wah Wonk.


In reality it said...


"Which one do you like!!!"
"I am at the point where I don't care. Let's get this one since it is a set."
"Fine, I like this one. Get out of that chair and lets go."


Your mom and I are both very excited to get your room ready. We have spent more time than is probably necessary discussing the options but I think in the end you will like it. You had better because we got a Grow with Me bed so you are stuck with it for a long time to come.


Love you,

Dad

Dear Peanut

Well, I guess I inspired my father because he sent peanut this.

hey peanut,
you don't know me right now,but i'm your grandpa felix.i'm sending this to your dad
so maybe he can print a copy & hang it on
the fridge so every time your mom goes by
you can see me.welcome to the "FAMILY".
and don't let your mother forget june 20th.

in-a-gada-da-vida,
grandpa 'FE'


Now everyone knows where I get my writing skills from. I'm so proud?

Your father to be,

Trinity

Dear Peanut

Dear Peanut,

How's it going in there? I heard you got some toe nails so that is pretty cool. Just wanted to tell you how excited I am that you are progressing nicely. I wouldn't have expected less from a child of my loins. Sorry about your mom's voice. I know it can be loud at times and I have tried to talk to her about that but she doesn't seem to be able to control herself. Honestly I am kind of scared you will sound like her and I will have two sets of that loud bellowing to hear. But don't worry. I will still love you.

It appears we are pretty close to half way to your birthday. We aren't prepared, just warning you, but we are working on it. As soon as we get into the new house I am going to make it a priority to have your room ready for your arrival. Do you need a firm mattress or a soft one?

From out here you are starting to make your mom's belly stick out. I will finally get to be the thin one in our marriage, even if it only lasts a few days. Do you dream? I only wonder because if you sleep 95% of the day like these books say you do, what is happening in there? I would guess your dreams are pretty dull since you haven't really seen anything but blackness and the occasional glow of your mom's skin when light hits it. Then again you haven't learned what light is yet so I hope you aren't freaked out by it.

Love you,

Dad