The dining room table

Dearest Ella-

Around these parts were counting down the days until we move into our new place. It seems like we're already making memories at our new home. Grandpa Earl refinished a beautiful dining room table and it will fit perfectly in our new dining room. It has a beautiful wood grain and dark wood trim all around it. I daydream often thinking about the fun times we'll have around the dining room table. You're already my little helper around these parts and i'm sure as you get older, you'll be even more eager to help me in daily tasks, until you become a teenager that is, and it'll sound more like chores, haha.
The other day I was going through my drawers, picking out clothes to keep and what to donate. As I was taking piles out and separating, there you were alongside making your own piles and such. As soon as I was done with that, I moved into the bedroom to separate some more stuff in there. Sure enough, you followed behind me, helping me sort through things. Poppa watched from the door as you trotted alongside me, here and there. You became a little upset when I moved too fast for you, so I lingered a little. You love being my helper, when i'm in the kitchen cooking, I pick you up to show you whats on the stove, and you reply with 'mmmmmm', tasty in baby words.
I'm sure when we move into our bigger place, we'll cook lots of fun, yummy meals and sit together and enjoy, make memories and linger a little bit too. I've never been a super cook, but i'm trying. For now, I cook stir-fry, grilled chicken, soups, kale chips and you seem to really enjoy the breakfasts I make you. Usually i'll make a healthy version of whole grain pancakes with blueberries or bananas. Sometimes i'll make oatmeal or just avocado and cheerios if were having a light meal. Poppa is the great cook in the clan. When we first started dating Poppa would invite me over and cook yummy meals, eggplant Parmesan was my favorite. I remember one time he wanted to cook me dinner at my little studio apartment, but I didn't even have a stove! So guess what he did, he cooked all the food back at his place, packed it up and brought it over to my place. What a guy! How could I not fall in love with a man like that? Hes something special that Poppa of yours. Today he called me at work just to say "hi and I love you". So sweet, unexpected and thoughtful. I hope one day you too have such a stand up guy in your life. I know many girls around me having children, single, with the father leaving the pictures and it truly makes me sad. Men receive such a blessing when they become fathers, many turn their backs without a shadow of remorse or regret. Everyday I hear on the news or read an article on unfit parents, children being mistreated, just now I happened across an article of a father putting their toddler in a washing machine! Who in their right minds does something like that? Unbelievable, it breaks my heart. I would never fathom such a thought, it makes me sick to my stomach. Being a parent is a blessing, a privilege, one that not everyone should have, for the sake of the child.
But onto a lighter note, I figured out what we're getting Poppa for fathers day, its going to be great. He kind of already knows because hes such a picky one. I wanted to make sure to run it by him first. I'll be sure to take plenty of pics of that special day. Now, i'm off to give you a goodnight kiss as you sleep. Hopefully I won't wake you. I love you to the moon and back -momma