Singer and songwriter Andy Grammer is known by millions worldwide for hit songs like Honey, I’m Good and Fresh Eyes. But now, just in time for Father’s Day, he wants to be known for something else too: being a dad.
On Thursday, the 33-year-old wrote a moving letter to his first “little one” due in July. In the heartwarming note published by Motto, a division of TIME magazine, the dad promised to give his very best to his unborn baby girl.
“You have about a month and half left in your mother’s womb, and you’re all I think and talk about,” he began. When the doctor revealed to Grammer and his wife, Aijia Lise Guttman, that they were expecting a girl, he said, “Our lives changed forever in that moment.”
A post shared by Aijia (@aijiaofficial) on Apr 19, 2017 at 2:31pm PDT
But in that moment, Grammer also felt unprepared. He decided to change that, by doing everything from asking other parents about their little girls to watching dads interact with their daughters.
“[W]hile you’ve been doing your part getting ready to meet us,” he wrote to his baby, “I’ve been doing the same.”
Even while eating breakfast with his wife at a “spot across the street” from a ballet studio, he dedicated himself to dad research.
“We watch dads sit down with their daughters for breakfast after class, and I melt at the thought of doing the same with you,” he said. “It doesn’t have to be ballet. It can be soccer, archery, whatever excites you, as long as we can get pancakes after.”
He also delved father-daughter relationship books and shared what he had learned so far:
“I’ve read that the way I treat you will impact your relationships with every other person in your life. That you’ll be watching me, even when I think you’re not, and that I’ll set an essential example. If I’m honest, loving and encouraging, you’ll know how you deserve to be treated. It’s a lot of pressure, little one. Simply knowing that you’re coming soon has inspired me to take a closer look at my flaws. I hope I can show you the best parts of myself. I hope you can learn from me to expect the best from all the people you choose to become close with, and never to settle for anything less.”
But his final research method, he said, was asking other women “When you were growing up, what were the best and worst things about your dad?”
While some lit up and others become quiet, Grammer focused on the women who responded, “I wish he’d been around more.”
“As a touring musician, this has been terrifying for me to hear,” he admitted. In response, he made a promise to his little girl.
“Panic is rising in my chest as I write this, but I promise you: I will not let you down,” he reassured her. “I’ll fly to you. Sometimes you’ll fly to me. We’ll talk on the phone and video call each other whenever we’re apart. I will always be someone you can count on.”
A post shared by Andy Grammer (@andygrammer) on Mar 19, 2017 at 2:03pm PDT
Today, it’s his highest aspiration.
“There are so many goals I want to achieve in this life, little one,” he concluded, “But from this moment forward, I have one single, life-defining hope: In 30 years, when someone asks you about your dad, your eyes will light up.” He signed it, "Love, Dad."
But being a father isn’t the only thing Grammer prioritizes. He’s also a dedicated husband.
“Andy literally every single night makes me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and he wraps it in wax paper and puts it by my bedside,” Aijia told People, after revealing eats at 3:30am due to her hypoglycemia that has heightened with pregnancy.
Grammer and his wife have made headlines before, for abstaining from sex until their marriage in 2012. The two also appeared, alongside other couples, in the music video for Grammer’s song, Honey, I’m Good, which boasts more than 70 million views on YouTube.
If his success in music is any indication, Grammer is going to be one amazing dad.
