Letter to the First

Dear Eleanor –

We have been waiting for you for so long. Seems way longer than 9 months to be honest. I’m so

curious to meet you and get to know your quirks and personality. I’m curious if you’ll have more Moser looks or Remynse features. I’m curious if you will be artsy like me or facts and figures like your dad. I’m the most curious to watch you and your dad get to know each other. I hope that you give him a bit of break as he’s not had much experience with little girls and may not always provide the appropriate response. It’ll be okay, you’ll get used to him.

While on the subject of your father, he’s the one that selected your name. He’s the one that adamantly fought for it. I had another picked out but we came to an agreement - we also easily agreed on your nickname. I’m just glad he didn’t dig his heels in for Harriet. Your middle name is a tribute to my Great Aunt Janice – my grandfather Merle’s younger sister. Her middle name is the exact same as yours. I hope you will remember her as you grow older.

I have such high hopes for you. I feel so much pressure to raise you to value happiness, self-worth, and respect. I’m hoping that you will grow up in a house that will nurture your ambition and teach you that gender roles are fluid. Your grandmother once told me that there are no such thing as girl toys and boy toys. That statement has shaped much of my life and I hope that those words and the examples of both of your grandmothers (and great grandmothers) pave the way for you as you find your path in the world.

Aside from independence and strength, we also hope to pass onto you our love of food, travel, adventure, as well as share our roots (ND, Air Force, and Ag values) and the importance of family.

There are times when I’m sure we will fail miserably or make the wrong decision. I’m sure there will be yelling or crying or both from you or me (not crying from your father – let’s be real). We want to let you fail so you can pick yourself up, just as our parents did for us. We will do our best to find the balance between coddling and protection from the harsh world. I hope we don’t get lax and lazy as we anticipate your spirit to be strong. And someday, I hope you can look back and realize how hard we tried and how much we love you.

Your mother