Dear Daughter: You’re about 5 weeks away from coming into this world and there are some things I want to talk to you about.  Your room is coming along and should be finished by the time you get here.  I’m sorry, I wasn’t exactly the fastest in helping to get it ready and it should’ve been done sooner, but regardless, it’ll be ready.

I’m ready.  I’m looking forward to you being a part of our life.  I want to tell you that I’m not perfect.  I’m going to make mistakes like putting the diaper on the wrong way, putting on your clothes backwards, and using the baby powder first instead of the ointment.  I’m new at this, but so are you.  We are going to experience new things together.  Everything from sleepless nights, doo-doo on both our clothes, and baby food on both our bottom lip.  Aside from that though, I’m looking forward to our firsts together.  I can’t wait to teach you…about everything.  I want you to learn as much as you can so that you can CHOOSE what it is you want to become.  Having a choice means power and when you can make your own choices, life becomes easier.

I’m looking forward to playing with you and show you that your old man is still a kid at heart. Laughter is what keeps us eternally young and healthy.  I want you to smile, laugh, and enjoy everything that is around you.  Age is a number, but being young at heart is forever.

I can’t wait to play sports with you.  There was a time when girls playing sports was frowned upon. Not now, not with you.  I’ll teach you all of it, even basketball.  I’m short so I can’t dunk, but I can still teach you how to dribble and take a mean jump shot.  I can teach you how to hit a baseball, throw a football, play tennis, and apply a rear naked choke hold from ground position.

You want to dance?  Play an instrument?  Run for office?  Paint?  Draw?  Create a cure for a disease?  Ok.  Let’s do it.  I may not know how, but I can and will lead you in the right direction.

Dora The Explorer will have nothing on you.  I want to take you traveling so you can see what’s out there.  It wasn’t until I was older that I realized there was more than what was in my neighborhood.  When I discovered it, I found a new appreciation for everything that surrounds me.  Yeah, I’ll take you to Disney World, but when you see Arches National Park, Mount Rainier, the Roman Coliseum, and hike along the Appalachian Trail, Disney World will look like it was built out of Legos.

I do have to insist on one thing.  You may have different musical tastes than I do, but we’ll need to listen to Wu-Tang Clan every Wednesday.  It is Wu-Wednesday after all. You’ll learn to love it.

I won’t be able to do this by myself.  There are going to be people in your life, my life, to help me do these things with you.  I trust these people and I want you to trust them the same way I do.  It may take some time, but you’ll see that they are worthy to be in your life.

I want you to look at me as the best dad ever.  It’s not going to be easy; we’ll have disagreements and as you get older and form your own opinions, we’ll butt heads.  You won’t understand at first, but as you get older, you’ll learn that everything I’ll be doing is for your protection, your best interests, and to make you reach your full potential.

I can’t wait.  We’ll have our ups and downs, but in the end, I truly believe that we’ll be the best dad-daughter team that anyone has ever seen.