This blog is my journal to you, Elise. It is a conglomeration of journals I wrote, notes from your baby book, and memories sparked from photographs. I tried to keep up, but sometimes life got in the way and left holes. My goal in writing this is twofold. Firstly, so you will have this to look back on and know that your parents loved you (quite literally) from the very beginning. No matter what stage of your life you are in, this is evidence that our world revolved around you. Secondly, I wanted you to have this for when you become a parent, so that you can see how your children are the same and how they are different from you when you were growing up. I wished so much that my parents could have told me more about how I was when I was growing up. My mother did write multiple entries in my baby book, but they read more like entries in a scientific journal. The few shining entries are written by my father. His notes read more like love letters, and that's how I wanted this journal to read. Here is one of my father's entries.
"I may try to describe our daughter, but she is, in the words of both her mama and dada, "Too cute for words." Her beaming grin, with her four stubby front teeth, is irresistible, and often Daddy is forced to pick her up and "squish" her. Even the beginning of her cry is darling. The way she curls her lip and delays the first howl for 5 or 6 seconds, usually after being told, "no, no." She does understand the command and will stop whatever she was doing. She also makes writing rather difficult (as you can see). I can only hope that she remains as cuddly and "Swebe" as she is now-"
So my beautiful daughter, here is how my fairytale begins. And always know, you will forever be our princess.
