I’m not really good about writing these, but I agree with your mom that this is a good idea, provided the internet still exists when you are able to read and hasn’t been replaced with holographic communications.  It’s been exactly one week since the election, and we are seeing what happens when someone deeply unpopular and inexperienced tries to assemble the most important team in the world for the most important job in the world.  There is total dysfunction, people getting fired, people quitting, and just a general sense of chaos.  This shouldn’t happen in the preparation for the Presidency.  But this is what happens when people make poor decisions out of spite, which is pretty much what half the country did.

I’m pretty worried about the future you and Lincoln will have, and how far down the drain Trump will take our nation.  The current President, Obama, has been the best leader of my lifetime.  You’ll be reading about him in your history books, and I wonder if they will point out the racism and obstructionism he faced.

So enough of the depressing stuff, it’s time to celebrate your birthday!  We had a very nice party for you on Saturday.  Just enough people came so that mom and dad could talk to everyone.  Birthdays at this stage are really about mommy and daddy throwing a party for themselves rather than for the kid, since you actually don’t have any friends, yet.  But you will.  You’ve got your older brother, and you’ve got a bunch of cousins that I hope you’ll have a ton of fun with, the way your parents had fun with their cousins.

Your development has been great!  You’re clambering up the stairs with confidence, and coming down without fear.  You’re not afraid to explore on your own, and you are waving, saying baba, a-yi, and imitating your brother.  Not all of it the good stuff, you’re also copying how he hits and says No!  Compared to Lincoln you seem to be more squirmy, Lincoln was kind of a bump on a log, though he’s very active now.  So I wonder what you’ll be like once you are toddling around?  In any case, we’re very proud of your development.

There were a few other measures that were voted on, that you will see the benefits of before your parents.  One was Measure M, which will build out the metro system.  The other is Measure A, which will build out the parks.  Hopefully by the time you’re my age, you’ll be able to take a Metro line to Santa Monica, while playing with your kids in a dog park nearby.  Assuming you even still live in Hacienda Heights, which is a big if!  Anyway, I guess it wasn’t all doom and gloom with this election, there are still many things that you will be able to look forward to.  So Happy Birthday!

Dear Lincoln and Carver,

You will be too young to remember, but yesterday’s Presidential election was one for the history books. We were on the verge of electing the first woman president of the most powerful country in the world… and we fell short. Somebody else won. Crazy,  huh? Only history will tell what kind of President Trump will be, but right now, hopes are not high. I’ll be honest, last night was a disappointing blow for your father and I. I felt that all of the issues and people that I voted for lost and I took it way more personally than I should have.  I was wondering why. And I realized, it’s because I have the two of you.

You see, before the two of you came along, I would vote straight party line, or I would vote what would make financial sense. But now when I vote, I have the two of you in my mind and what will be best for your future. Unfortunately, the majority of our State thought the opposite. Pot is now legal and “non-violent” offenders will be out of jail.

You’ll soon learn that your father and I totally geek out during election season. However, this election season was an odd one. No one talked about real issues. At the end, both parties seem to resort to name calling. This is not how a country should move forward. I don’t know how Trump will be as a President. But, I feel compelled to apologize to your generation. Between the environment, the economy, and the wars that are going on overseas – I feel like my generation really messed it up for you guys, and for that, I am sorry.

Soon, the dust will settle and life goes on. I did learn two lessons yesterday. 1.) I need to get out of my own echo chamber. Everybody that I was associated with AND the media had all predicted Hillary Clinton winning. I need to remember that I am not the target market or the majority. and 2.) Don’t always go where the wind blows…. because you may end up in the sewer. Always stand up to what is right and don’t be silent. And always, always do the right thing.

I am sad today of yesterday’s outcome and I am uncertain what the future will hold. But if we don’t mess it up too much, I do have hopeful optimism for your generation to do great things. I know just by observing Carver’s thought process as he figures out innovative ways how to shimmy his body down the stairs and the bed (it’s too cute) or Lincoln’s compassion when someone gets hurt (you have some pretty good EQ). It will be up to you to think of innovative ways to solve our worlds problems but you will need the compassion and I know it’s there.

I love both of you more than you can imagine. I promise that I will do my part in making sure we don’t mess things up for your generation.