TWENTY ONE MONTHS - Craziest month yet!

WOW! So clearly I once again missed the official date. But read on - you may just forgive me after you see what this month has been like.

So today was the big day. We all work up early, had a nice leisurely breakfast, got you to school just before 8, and daddy and I drove down to Denver for our half-way ultrasound. Guess what my love..... you are going to be blessed with a BEAUTIFUL BABY SISTER! As an older sister myself, I cannot tell you how special this is. I don't have any "major" expectations that you will adore your baby sister the way I adored (and still adore) your Aunt Ba. But I have hopes that you see in her the best friend little sisters can be. I expect you to be frustrated with her, annoyed that she gets some of the attention you once got, but I also expect that my sweet and affectionate Hadley will immediately understand how your life is changed forever with the arrival of this special package. I know you will understand how precious she is, and I know you will love her with all your heart. Now you just need to help us decide on a name!

I also wanted to talk to you about what happened two weeks ago, how your father and I and millions of other people across the country helped elect the first African American president. I have never been more proud to be an American than I am today, and when you are old enough to understand the significance of this election, when years from now you ask me where I was when I found out that Barack Obama had won, I'll tell you that while there were millions of people dancing in the streets and gathered at parties (like your Aunt Sonja and Uncle Matt in Manhattan!), I was sitting on the couch next to daddy, holding hands, tears streaming down my face, the two of us alone with the cats asleep at our sides. The television showed complete and utter chaos, but we sat there quietly absorbing the moment, worried that if we blinked we'd realize it was all a mistake. I finally feel like we may have the momentum to change and fix so much of what has gone wrong — from economics to the environment, to health care and raging wars — that instead of leaving your generation with a burden almost impossible to climb, there is hope that we may in fact leave you with a world that is better than the one you were born into. I know I am not alone when I say that my vote in this election was as much for his vision as it was for you and your sister's future.

iloveyoumadly.
mama