Over the weekend, my wife and I welcomed a daughter, Clare Marie Brennan, to our family. To coincide with the new addition to our family I am sharing some thoughts I’ve had on her and our new life together:
- First, an admission—I know next to nothing about girls. I hope you can be patient with me as I learn.
- You share a name with a county in Western Ireland known for its rolling hills, breathtaking coasts and beautiful music. I hope we can visit together someday.
- The stock market was up on the day you were born, that must be a good sign.
- Your mom and I were less stressed about your birth than we were your older brother’s. I guess that is the product of experience.
- We were, however, stressed about a couple of other things before you arrived. Some day we will tell you the story and laugh about how we had 25 feet of our basement excavated to replace a water pipe just days before you arrived.
- Your brother, John, is so excited to have you as his baby sister. I can’t wait to watch your relationship and friendship grow and develop over the years.
- Your other furry brother, Bubba, won’t care much for you at first. But I promise he will warm up to you when you start dropping food and learn to stop pulling his hair.
- Always listen to your mother. Except when she slanders the Grateful Dead or tells us to change the station.
- You have four amazing grandparents that can’t wait to spoil you as much as humanly possible.
- Know that you are free to root for the Broncos or any other team in the NFL, except for the Green Bay Packers
- You can count on helping your mother and me troubleshoot technology issues 30 years from now. Don’t ask me how I know this.
- We are so excited to introduce you to everything the world has to offer while allowing you to find your own path.
- We might have to revisit that last one when you become a teenager.
- You will experience so many incredible things in life. A great deal of them have yet to be invented.
- You will undoubtedly experience setbacks and hard times, but I am confident that the world will be better every day that you live.
- You have, without a doubt, the best mom. I hope you are just like her in every way.
Thank you for reading and I hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Will