Dear Baby J...

Hello, baby! Today is Cinco de Mayo. That means, your father and I are sitting in the living room, wearing sombreros, completely stuffed from tacos, rice, and beans. I apologize for eating so fast at La Chiquita...I don't think I breathed the entire time I was eating! Someday, we'll take you to Mexico. We'll build sandcastles on the beach, chase the waves, and eat lots of fresh guacamole.

What else do we have in store for you???

Well...We'll take lots of trips to Chicago. We'll eat hot dogs and cheer on the Cubs at Wrigley, explore the last free admission zoo in the country at Lincoln Park, and lay on our backs on a blanket in Millennium Park and watch the fireworks from Navy Pier. We'll ride the ferris wheel, watch the sailboats on Lake Michigan, and peer through the glass at Shedd Aquarium at the thousands of underwater wonders.

We'll go on camping trips in the summertime; pack up the car with blankets and munchies and card games, and drive until we find our destination. We'll sit and tell stories by the campfire, toast marshmallows, and squish them between two grahm crackers and half a bar of chocolate. We'll cuddle up in a cozy tent and listen to the crickets sing us to sleep.

We'll spend lots of time exploring our own backyard. We'll bike through George Wyth, taking time to stop and spot deer and pick up pretty rocks and sticks. Your dad will tell you about the last known 'alligator' swamp in Cedar Falls and we'll eat ice cream cones from Four Queens. We'll have picnics and take naps under trees, read books, and teach you to play cribbage.

We'll take fishing trips with Grandpa Ray and Grandma Mary; Minnesota trips with Grandpa Curt and Grandma Kelly. You'll learn, like your mommy did, to bait your own hook and wait patiently for the first bite. You'll learn, like your daddy, to spot the best stops at the Mall of America and appreciate the talent of the Minnesota Twins. We'll jump on hotel room beds, pack the perfect pillow for the long car ride, and look forward to early morning breakfast at Perkins.

As I think about all the family memories I have, whether it be childhood vacations as a little girl, trips with Beau, or all-family outings, I can hardly wait to start new memories with you. Whether it be across the country, across the world, or across our backyard, we will make every adventure a vacation. We'll dream, we'll play, and we'll live. a lot.

A week from now, we should have a pretty good idea about you being a little girl or a little boy. Promise me one thing...if you are a girl, you will still make your Grandpa Ray proud and bait your own hook. If you're a boy, you must promise to love going on picnics, no matter what your dad says otherwise :).

Love you...Your mom.