dear little one...

hey little one...
your mommy told me you are coming soon...and i am so excited to meet you.

you come from an amazing family...not just your mommy and daddy, but your grandparents and your uncles and aunts. so many people that are family and friends, eagerly awaiting your arrival and anticipating the announcement of who YOU are. it is often said...
it takes a village to raise a child.
and i think you have a pretty spectacular village surrounding you.

your mommy is my best friend. we've known each other for a very very long time. she has a heart of gold and a smile that shines. she makes me laugh and brings oodles of sunshine into the lives of so many people.
your daddy is a prince...(your mommy always wanted one of those). he loves her (and you) so much. he is a good friend and i'm sure he will teach you so much about life and friendship and love. he makes your mommy shine more.
your grandparents and uncles and aunts are looking forward to spoiling you silly. they love you already and are so excited to show you the depths of their love.
there are multitudes of friends in many different places that are awaiting your arrival and have many other little ones that are your soon-to-be friends.

it's a pretty good village, if i do say so myself.

now onto a letter for your mommy...
sar-bear...there are so many things that i want to share with you as you take this one-way train into mommy-hood. but, honestly, i can not come up with a single word that fulfills what i want to say. but i'm gonna try anyways...
i am so excited to KNOW *sara, the mommy* in addition to *sara, my best friend*. you are bound to be amazing throughout this journey. i don't want to fill you with unnecessary advice. i just want to be a supportive wall that you can come to when you are having troubles or need someone to lean on. i want to be your giving tree.
LOVE...the instantaneous love that you will feel is amazing and undeniable. there is a true animal instinct that will connect you to your baby. some people feel it more quickly than others...but i think it's always there...just more deeply buried. the love is very hard to explain and words almost diminish it.
CHANGE...this will change you. not good or bad...it just changes you. and it is very different from the love you feel for mike or your parents or me :). it is undescribable.
EXPECT...you have to expect the unexpected. plain and simple. if you start having expectations, lil' bebe will send those packing immediately.
ENJOY...you have to relish every minute of this journey. you don't have to (and probably won't) enjoy all of it...in fact, i'd be bothered if you did! there are moments that absolutely suck. but you have to be willing to look back and laugh at those times. and you will, sooner or later, you will.
CHERISH...the little things. cherish the baby smell. cherish the way baby's hands curl when sleeping. cherish baby's subtle squeaks and squeals. they change so quickly...but you will always remember.
i heard somewhere...these are the longest minutes and the shortest years that you will ever know. perfectly said. cuddle that baby for me and tell baby, "there is an 'auntie' jen-men out there waiting for the opportunity to meet you."
congratulations on your new name, mommy. i love you.