In Keeping With Current Trends:

Dearest Holden: 

I will spoil you rotten and I will love you more than you can fathom until my dying breath. I can promise you ice cream, dump trucks, swirly slides, cotton candy, cartoons, and a place to hang out when Mom just won't get off your case already.  Though, I can also promise you that if mom is on your case, I probably will be, too. 


I will watch you play football or baseball or soccer or ballet (yes, Jeff, ballet, if he's so inclined). I will cheer for you and yell "Go TEAM!" at the top of my lungs. I will embarrass you, but not nearly as much as your parents will. I promise to be the cool "aunt" and to always have little secrets -- just for us (like that sip of root beer before bed, or the extra sugary marshmallow cereal, or how you are just a little afraid of the dark even though you're a boy and can totally fight monsters, man!).


I will give you horrible advice and be totally out of touch. I'll tell you stories about when I was a kid and you'll roll your eyes and say, "yeah right, Athena, like you were ever that cool!" And I'll assure you that yes, believe it or not, your mom and I were, like, totally rad. 


I can promise that you'll fall for the wrong girl, at least once, but that falling in love is worth every bump and scrape along the way.  You will break a heart once or twice, and have yours broken, too, and I'll always pick up the phone if you need to talk (or need a sober ride home, you got that!?!) I will cry at your wedding, partly because you're getting married, but mostly because I'll be old enough for you to be getting married, which means so will my daughters. Maybe you'll marry each other. But not all three of you, mmmkay? I want my girls to share, but let's not get crazy, here.  


I will demand that you honor love and respect your mother from this day forward because, goshdarnitdiddilyhoo she's your momma and she birthed you and that whole birthing thing is no joke -it's hard. I will expect that you respect your father, and learn from him. He's a great man and an amazing person for you to aspire to be just like. 


I'll write annoying letters like this to you from time to time, and I'll take your picture more than you can stand. Especially when you find yourself in humorous and/or potentially future reputation ruining positions (e.g. the bathtub, smashing your first birthday cake, wearing mom's heels). 


And I'll hug and kiss and cuddle you.


Forever and ever.
Amen.


Aunt Athena.


(PS: Go check out Holden's birth story here)