A Letter to my Baby

Dear Camille,

Once upon a time, before you were born, your mommy and daddy picked me out just for you.  They knew that one day, they would have a little baby, who would need a special friend.  So they looked and looked, and out of a whole bunch of puppies in the world, they chose me, because they knew I would love you.

And I do.  Even though I don't quite understand you yet, I really love you.  Your mommy and daddy take good care of me and I love them, but in just a little while, you will be my best friend.  We will have so much fun together, playing and running and getting dirty.  It is going to be a blast.

But right now I have to wait.  It is really hard to wait, because I want to lick you so bad, but I know you are too little to play my way yet.  So we play your way.

Playing your way right now means I have to be very still.  I'm so excited for when you are bigger, because we will be best friends.  But now, I have to wait.

I'm very good at waiting.  I don't follow any of the other rules your mommy and daddy make up.  I hardly listen to any instructions, unless I'm bribed with a cookie, but I never break the rule of being gentle when you are around.  I even watch my feet!  Sometimes you pull my hair, and sometimes you tickle my nose, and yet I hold very, very still because I know how special you are.

When it is time for you to eat, I wait patiently by your chair, because you've got my back.  Right now, waiting quietly gets me a scoop of whatever you leave behind from your dinner.  But soon, if I keep being patient, I know you'll slip me some other treats when your mommy and daddy aren't looking.  And I'll aways clean up your chair and the floor when you are done, because that's what friends are for.

I'll always take care of you.  I will wait for you when you are at school and when you get home, we can play in the yard.  I'll teach you how to play frizbee and how to dig in the garden and how to get your feet nice and wet before you come inside.

Wherever you go, if you let me, I'll be right by your side.  I'll always be your friend.  I'll always want to play.  That's my job.  It's why I'm here.

Love, Teddy