Letter to My Daughter

Dear Holly,

My skinny baby. First, thank you for the Mother's Day card. That was very sweet of you to find a pen and willing body all the way in California to write what you wanted to say to me on paper. I appreciate both your efforts!

Thank you also for directing some nutrients to your legs to grow them nice and long. That effort is going to serve you well one day, when you're running energetically through the daydreams of young boys in our neighborhood.

I understand your hesitation to grow belly fat. I share the sentiment. You're a smart girl, so you're probably thinking it's no use storing lipids now in a place where you won't want them later in life. Of course, it seems like you'd be making extra work for yourself down the line. And, like your parents, you are probably interested in minimizing unnecessary effort. However, I want to assure you that it is okay to get a little pudgy around the mid-section. After all, you're a baby and, among other things, babies are thought to be cuter when they are round. I say that not to suggest that you should care deeply about what people think (you shouldn't), but to help you understand that being aesthetically pleasing is in your best interest: there are lots of studies that show that attractive people tend to have an easier time acquiring positions of power, for example.

Is power important to a baby? Absolutely! Think about it.

Now, the doctors are recommending that I keep you under the (Doppler) microscope so that we can monitor your growth. But, I don't want to do that to you. I have faith in you and trust that you will grow in precisely the way you intend and want to, naturally, and without the need for spectators. So, let's make a deal: I will trust you to spread the nutrients around to all areas of your body (so that you're healthy when you join me and daddy in the world) and you can count on me to keep the doctors out of your sanctuary until you show me that you are ready to come out.

Love,
Mommy