Dear Baby Adam,
I love you. I want that to be the first thing that you know, the one thing that you always know, even if one day it feels like all the world is crashing down around you - your Daddy loves you, with all of his heart. Your Mommy loves you, too - and we don't even know you yet! But we do love you. We can't wait to meet you. We've already been waiting for so long, it seems... but for someone as special as you, I know you'll be worth the wait.
It's been a hard road leading here, for your Mommy and I... obstacles popping up at every turn. Even now the obstacles seem determined to keep us away from you. But I'm determined not to let them. You are loved, little man, and don't you ever doubt it. Your Mommy and I will face the fires of Hell, if that's what it takes, for us to one day hold you in our arms. Never once doubt that you are wanted, and you are loved; even when it seems that everyone is against you, you are only ever loved here, no matter what.
It's easy to get lost in the struggles we've been facing, ever since we decided we were ready for you, and understandably so - all of this would cut the legs from under any person. But I realize now that it's not about us - your Mommy and I - and it's not about what we want. All of this is about you. We want to give you a chance; we want to show you the world. It's a big, scary world out there, but there is plenty of good, too, and this world needs more good people in it. And you know what? You're going to make this world a better place for you having lived in it. I'm proud of you, son. I have confidence in you. I know you're going to be a great man, and you're going to do great things, and I'm going to be standing right behind you, cheering you on every step of the way.
There was a long time when I didn't think that I would ever be a daddy; I doubted that I was lovable myself, and I didn't think that anyone would ever give me a chance. But I think that I've been getting ready for you all along. I sang the lullabies in high school that my grandmom had sung for me when I was little, and I imagined one day singing them for my own child. I wrote a poem for you in college (though it wasn't very good), and I sang for you more then. I've never met my father, and it wasn't until after college that I truly knew what that meant, but you will never, ever have to walk through this life alone. You will never doubt that you are loved, because I'm your Daddy, and I love you right now before I've ever even seen your face.
I hope you like music; I already know I'm going to be singing for you all the time. I promise I'll try to keep up with the current bands as you grow older, so that I can be one of those "cool" dads who "gets it" - even though I know you'll end up embarrassed by me eventually anyway. I hope you like baseball, so that I can take you to games as my mom did with me. I'll teach you about the stupid infield fly rule, and buy you hot dogs and nachos, and even if you don't like the Astros (my team) or the Braves (your mom's), I'll support your team of choice and cheer them to victory every day so I can see you happy. Or I hope you like animals, or Disney movies, or any of 1000 other things that I like, so that we can share those joys together. But you know what? Even if you don't, that's all okay too. I'll teach you to like some things, but you'll teach me to like others, and we'll have fun anyway.
I can't wait for you to meet your Mommy - she is still the most incredible woman that I have ever met. She makes me a better man, and I know that she'll raise incredible kids; I really am the luckiest man in the world to have her as my wife, and you'll be the luckiest kid to get to have her as your mom. She can teach you all about art and creating things - stuff that every kid loves to do. She's a great storyteller, and she'll take you to fantastical worlds on incredible journeys that will make your imagination soar. Just as I will, she will always make sure that you know how loved you are, and she'll teach you a passion for life that makes me smile and fall deeper in love with her every day that I get to spend by her side. It's because of her that I can't wait to meet you, because I know you'll be a little piece of her.
I love your Mommy with all of my heart, but there's room enough in my heart to love you with all of it too. That's why we want to meet you so badly - we've got all of this love to give. But this is about you, and we're doing this for you. Your Mommy's story and mine are intertwined; we're written together in a beautiful symphony, and we want to add your part. One day you will grow up, and you will move away, and your Mommy and I will go on together; our symphony will be that much more beautiful for having had you in it. But I can't wait for you to unleash your own symphony on the world. I know that it's going to be great.
Of course, you may be born Baby Anna (or whatever we decide to name you) instead of Baby Adam, but that's fine too. If you want me to dress up in the pointy purple princess hat with the silver star-spangled lace, then bring it on, baby girl - I'm man enough for fairy tales and unicorns. We'll still have daddy/daughter days, and no little girl will ever have been loved more. I've already tried to set that standard with your Mommy; of course that love will overflow to you, too.
Your Daddy loves you. Your Mommy loves you. We're going to fight for you, and we want you to fight for us, too. Let us give you a chance at life, and we'll take the world by storm. We'll be waiting here.
Love,
Daddy
