Dear Anika,

Thank you for your hour this morning. I don't get many of those dedicated times with you anymore. I enjoyed playing in my office chair and dancing with you to John Mayer songs instead of reading the news. I am so proud of you for growing so fast, but please don't get in too much of a hurry. I love you and I hate that I haven't spent more time with you. I cherish the moments when you laugh and play, and especially the times when you learn something new. You'll be walking soon and learning so much more, and there will then be no stopping you from doing anything you want (within reason). I'd love for you to be a doctor, an astronaut, or a scientist, but it will be okay if you are a store clerk, too. As long as you are my daughter and I can love you, it will all be just fine.