Last week, your dad sent me some incredible pictures of you when your mom was at the doctor's office. I was so awed upon seeing you that all I did was just look and was unable to speak. I wanted to say something but my emotions and heart were at a different place from my conscious mind, let alone the ability to transfer those thoughts onto paper. When I saw you, I saw the future of both your mom and dad's families and I knew at that moment what was meant by the words joy, blessing and faith.
How lucky you are being born into a world that has made more technical advances in the last quarter of a century than any other time in history. Dad must have taken your pictures on his cell phone then emailed them to me -- I think. You'll probably laugh someday and say, "well what other way do you share pictures grandma"? You have a point there, incredible babe, but remember connecting devices via USB ports are still confusing to me.
I've thought about you and it's been hard for me to fully express in words what I feel in my heart because the excitement that you are almost here is still a lot for me to process. But give me a chance little one because where there is love there are no barriers.
When I saw your face that day for the first time, I wondered if you will have your mommy's beautiful blue eyes or your dad's brown eyes. And would you have your mom's dark hair or your dad's dark strawberry blonde hair? And would you be tall like your dad or somewhere in between? As far as I'm concerned, any combination of the above will be just perfect.
Incredible babe, as I write these words to you, I pray you grow and develop within the warm, watery world which is your home right now. But once you leave and enter the world outside, you will face a sea of language to be learned and many skills that require patience and time to master. But I know someday you will contribute a lot to society because you posses enormous creative potential to shape the world around you. I know your parents will make sure that you receive both a great secular and Jewish education. You come from a fabulous three thousand year old tradition. Just think about that for a moment little one, three thousand years of collective history, learning, and survival despite the odds sometimes. You see amazing babe, "we are never alone in our struggles."
Believe in yourself and try to be positive even when things are not going well. Negative thinking and a poor attitude are really the only reasons people can't move ahead-not lack of ability. Be sensitive to the feelings of others and try not to judge or criticize your peers.
Once you are born, you will have a very busy year or two ahead of you with so much to learn and master. But amazing babe, I look forward to your first smiles, first steps, and first words and first kiss.
In addition to my note, I have two very unusual and special gifts to give your parents when you arrive. The first gift is a bib and the other is a hand knitted sweater made by your great grandmother. Both gifts were never used and in fact never made it to your daddy for some reason. A long time ago my parents lived in Alaska which is where I was born. I didn't spend much time there -- only four months. But when your dad was born, for whatever reason, my mother forgot to give us a bib that she brought back from Alaska and that she was saving for her first grandchild. Don't worry, it was never used as I mentioned and is tucked away in a cedar chest waiting to finally be given to you, her first great-grandchild. When I think about this bib from Alaska, I think how extraordinary life can be at times. Even though your great-grandmother is no longer here, her memory lives on both spiritually and physically through these items.
Incredible babe, even now I'm looking at little denim clothing, stretches and mobiles. I know when you are finally here; the thought of you not existing will seem incomprehensible. You will fill an empty space in my heart that I didn't even realize was there before. I'm not rushing or anything little one, but boy am I ready to meet you after all this time.
Copyrighted by Davina Klatsky