Dempsey Snow Baby.

Oh sweet Dempsey Snow.  My littlest big SURPRISE.  I am writing to you today in honor of your almost FIRST BIRTHDAY.    See...your Dad and I are headed out tomorrow to go on Honeymoon#3 and will be gone for your actual birthday.  Please don't be too mad.  I figure that you will appreciate how in love your Dad and I are for years and years because we go on these types of trips.  So thank you in advance for not being too cranky.  We went to the ice cream place to celebrate tonight, and I'm pretty sure you ate the most ice cream out of all of us. Dang girl you like your ice cream:)

I was rocking you tonight and thinking about your birth story.  I thought about how sometimes I'd give anything to go back to that day.  It was such a special day, so EMPOWERING, so joyful, so hard, so great, so SURPRISING.  The night you were born I could hardly sleep.  I kept staring at you.  You were A GIRL? a GIRL.  hah.  Still cracks me up how wrong I was.

Girl or not, you have been such a fantastic addition to our family.  You are loved by everyone you meet.  People often complement us on how you are so "chill".  You really are.  And just to prove how awesome you are, you GIGGLE when we put pink eye drops in your eyes.  Who laughs with eye drops??? You love to grab cars, trains, and legos and make the appropriate noises.  You LOVE climbing the stairs and today experienced your first head plant while trying to get down the stairs.  Oh adventurous one you are...

I love your name by the way.  I still think Dempsey is a rockin' name.  AND Snow.  Well that is mostly your Dad and I can't help but watch when snow falls down and remember the night you were born.  I'm so happy that you have Snow in your name.

Last week I was at the YMCA on the treadmill, and I could see into the gym.  There was a team of younger girls at basketball practice.  SQUEE.  I got really excited and pictured you out there on the court.  Who knows...basketball might not be your thing.  That's okay.  As long as you find something you love, I'm down with it.  I just can't wait to teach you and MOST OF ALL show you what a strong female looks like.  I'm learning all the time from the girls I work with in school.  I know I won't be perfect, but lady...I'm so so willing to be the best STRONG momma I can be for you.

So here's to us.  Mom and Daughter.  I love you so much little lady and I am just really digging you!

Love,

Momma