Dear beautiful Leighton,

You were born on a Friday, the evening of April 29th.  It was a warm, spring night in Dallas, Texas.  Your dad sent me a picture of you shortly after your birth.  It absolutely took my breath away.  I have never seen such a beautiful face.  All I could think about at that moment was how lucky your mom and dad are to be blessed with such a perfect little girl.  But the reason I'm writing this letter to you today is to tell you that you are also blessed with such wonderful parents.  You may just be the luckiest little girl I know! :)

You may not have realized it when your mom and dad held you for the first time, but you were being held by two of the most loving arms:

Your Mom:  It only took a couple Psychology 101 classes and a few peach smoothies to know that your mom was going to be one of my best friends.  Your mom is a caring, selfless, wonderful woman.  Your mom has always been there for me, no questions asked.  And if you're ever wondering, just know that she will always be there for you too.  No matter what the situation is.  When I met your mom, I was a freshman in college.  All my friends were away at other schools, so I was a little lonely.  Your mom became someone I could talk to.  And before we knew it, we were having study parties that turned into youtube watching, gossip talking, peanut butter and jelly eating sleepovers that lasted way past our bedtime.  But enough about me and your mom.  I want to tell you about you and your mom.  There will be times in your life that you feel like your mom is unfair, or not seeing your point of view.  Just remember that your mom was once your age.  She had the same thoughts and feelings you do.  Your mom loves you with all of her heart.  She would never do anything without a good reason and purpose.  So when you begin to feel an ounce of anger, keep that in mind!  One piece of advice I want you to treasure is to always communicate with your mom.  She is the world's best listener.  And she's never given me bad advice.  You may not like the thought of going to her with things you'd rather not want your mom knowing about, but I can assure you she will love how open you are with her.  It will always make for a trusting mother/daughter relationship.  And if you ever feel like you just absolutely can't go to her, you know you can always call aunt schmee! :)


Your Dad:  Oh your father.  He's fantastic.  Couldn't imagine a more perfect man for your mom!  Your dad and I have a passion for watching crazy videos involving wild police chases.  (In reality, he's the only person I know with enough patience to sit and watch the show with me)  It's not often people get the chance to meet someone like your father.  He has brains, humor, and loves to watch girly shows on tv because he knows how happy it makes your mom and I! And because he likes to make fun of it later that week.  But when you look past his brains and his comical character, what you will find is a man who loves with all of his heart.  He is a little sensitive.  And someday, when you realize it, you will probably be able to take full advantage of that when you need some money for that really cute outfit that would look great with your brand new pair of shoes you got him to buy you the week before!  But that's our little secret! (ssshhh)

I got the chance to feel you moving around in your mommy's tummy in February (two and a half months before you were born).  Ever since that moment, I've been dying to have you come into this world.  And now that you're here, I plan to watch you grow into a beautiful, smart, and talented young woman.

Sincerely,
Aunt Schmee