Dear My Future Daughter,
It’s your daddy. I am so excited to be writing this letter to you even though it will be a few years before you’ll be able to read it by yourself. For now, I’ll lean on your mommy to read it to you. Where do I begin? Well, by the time you get this letter, you would have been on this earth a few years. But there are some things I want to share with you.
First, the day your mommy told me that she was pregnant with you – I was beside myself with anticipation. You see, most of daddy’s friends have daughters and I always prayed for the day you would be. Not just so I could have my own daughter but that it would give me the experience of sharing a part of me that only you would understand. It may not make much sense now but as you get older – it will.
I imagine that you would be a mini-version of your mother. Your mommy is the love of my life and she is my heart. When I think about your eyes, I hope you get them from your mom. When I think about your smile, I hope you get that from her too. She is a beautiful person – inside and out and I pray you are very much an extension of that – that people are drawn to you the way they are to her. She possesses a beautiful spirit and I dream that you get the same from her. It’s a large reason why I gravitated to her without trying.
You will get to know a lot of things about me and your mom as you get older. You are our daughter we loved you before you came to be. The physical manifestation of that thought is you and it is better than we talked about when we started planning our family. You don’t know this but I used to talk to you when you were in your mommy’s stomach. Daddy is not a singer but I would tell you how ready I was to meet you but I didn’t want you to rush out because your room wasn’t ready yet. Your mom and I couldn’t agree on a theme for your room. I think I can talk her into a Disney Princess theme around Tiana and Jasmine but we’ll see. 🙂
You should know that your mommy is a diva so there is a good chance you will inherent some, if not all of those traits. She doesn’t know this but I actually look forward to the time when you’re about four or five years old and you are going back and forth with her about something you don’t want to wear. Privately, I will laugh to myself. But in her face, I will tell you to just wear what she asks you to put on. Trust me, when you get older, you’ll be thankful that she taught you how to dress like a young lady. But one and a half divas in the house while challenging, has its moments of levity.
Either way, there is so much I want to say to you about what you might expect from me as your future dad. I will be protective. You are going to be my princess and you will be treated as such. It’s going to be a bit difficult but I am going to try my best not to spoil you. You see, there are things in my mind that I desire for you to have and I am almost certain that you will ask me for anything you think you want. The answer will not always be yes. Your older brother endured the same thing. He can tell you why.
I will be your first a lot of things. I’ll be the first man who tells you that he loves you that actually means it and shows it in his actions. I am striving to be the best example of what a man is and does. I’ll be the guy who sets the standard of your expectations from a male. I’ll be your first gentlemen. I’ll be your first male voice of reason. I’ll be the first to help you up when you fall down. I’ll be the first to wipe your tears away and tell you that it and you will be okay. I’ll be the first guy to make you smile and laugh. I’ll be the first guy to teach you about God. I’ll be the first to give you a hug and kiss. I’ll be the first guy who teaches you how to love.
My future daughter, I nor your mom is perfect. We struggle occasionally with our feelings and emotions because we are human. Even in that struggle, we love you no less than we do when times are great. We will do our best to create a space for you that allows you to be who you are meant to be. But know that we are your mother and father and you are our daughter. That is the role you were born to play in our lives. Don’t forget that.
Also, there are several things you need to know in advance. 1) Your future mom (my future wife) is the most important person to me on this earth. That is the way God designed it and that is the way it will be as long as we are married. Embrace this concept now because hopefully one day, you will have a husband who feels the same way about you and treats you accordingly. 2) You can have your first date when you are sixteen – not a day sooner. Your mom and I will meet the young man and his parents before you go anywhere with him. That is non-negotiable. 3) There are some things about boys you will learn just from experience. But there will be a lot you’ll learn from your brother. He will be as protective of you as I am. That is his job as your brother and that is between you and him. 4) It is likely one day you’ll meet a guy whom you believe you want to marry. He will have a high standard to live up to because of how you were treated at home. While this may be true, it is important to remember that you treat him the same as your mother treats me – with respect and grace. It is my hope our example paints an achievable and realistic portrait for you.
I think you’ll bring out a side of me that I am not quite ready for emotionally. I believe this to be a good thing because it will force me as your future dad to continue to evolve and grow into the man and daddy you need me to be. I look forward to pushing you on the swing, our tea parties, our first talk about boys and the daddy/daughter dates. There will be times that you will catch me just looking at you. You’ll wonder why and I won’t say anything when you look back at me. I’ll just smile. I won’t be able to explain it to you but it’ll be in those moments that I am thanking the heavens for the gift of you.
I am ready for your first steps. I am ready for your first word. I am ready for your first day of Pre-K. I am ready for your first of many recitals. I am ready for the first time when you try to dress up like mommy.
I am not ready for your first date. I am not ready for your first kiss from a boy. I am not ready for the first time you get behind the wheel of a car. Be patient with daddy like I will be with you.
Well, my future daughter, as I close this letter out know that your future daddy can’t wait to meet you. We have much to share and learn from each other. I hope you’ll be as excited to meet me and your future mommy as well. I pray your smile brightens the world and your laugh makes others around you laugh just because…
I love you,
Your Future Daddy
P.S. If you have any other questions, ask your future mommy. 🙂
