To my Beautiful Future Daughter,

Let me open this letter to you by saying that I love you. I love you already and I don't even know you yet. In my heart I know that you are strong, kind, and incredibly driven. To me, you deserve everything in the world. But, I also must tell you that not everyone is going to appreciate your spirit the way those closest to you will. So — I write this to you today, years before you are born, to remind you that you will never go a single day in your beautiful life without feeling loved. And if there is anything you choose to hold dear, out of the thousands of conversations and laughs that we share, I hope for it to be this letter.

The number one thing that I want you to know is that you are good enough. Go out into the world and give it your all, put your heart and soul into everything you do. If you come back feeling as though you've failed — you are still a winner in my eyes. I will rave about you to everyone I know. I will continue to remind you that you are driven, and capable of anything you put your mind to. Never let the voices in your head tell you different. I am always proud of you.

The next thing that I want to tell you — never give up your sense of self to impress a boy. It may not feel like it right now, but someday the right guy will come along and embrace you for who you are. When he tells you why he loves you, all of the traits he names first will be the ones that you always think the least of. He will be proud to tell everyone that he's yours and he will accept you and treat you the way that you deserve. So don't change your favorite things, don't be ashamed of who you are. And if this letter finds you, and you would rather have the word boy/he replaced with girl/she — don't be ashamed of that either, love is love and love is unconditional.

Third, it is okay to stand up for yourself. In fact, please do stand up for yourself. I will always be your biggest advocate, and I will fight for every opportunity that I believe you deserve. But, I may not always be there to help you through bouts of injustice. And I hope that when you come into this world, the gender norms placed on women are much less prevalent than they are now. But if not, remember that just because you are a woman does not mean that you are not capable, deserving, or intelligent enough for the aspirations you hold. If someone tells you that you are not qualified, tell them why you are. If a man tells you to make him a sandwich and stop speaking, speak louder and tell him to make his own damn sandwich. If someone on the bus tells you to move, you stay seated. Always be respectful to those who deserve it, but never give up your rights.

Lastly I want you to love yourself. If you ever feel as though you are not beautiful enough, not smart enough, not brave enough, not happy enough. I want you to come to me, I will tell you all the reasons why you are those things and more — because you are.

I love you forever and always,

XOXO Mom