Sassy number six...

Dear Kate, 
It’s been six years since I first laid my eyes on your sweet face.  Tiny and fierce.  That part has not changed.  Your big eyes hardly ever closed.  You instantly had our hearts.  You always had a plan and before you could talk, we spent most of our time trying to figure it out.  Even now, we usually don’t find out until after the fact.  You are always happy, and always ready for a party.  You have joined your daddy as co-chairperson of the hospitality committee and together you make sure that everybody is happy and has a good time.  You are a bona fide monkey - you can climb anything and you teeter on the edge of everything.  You are the first to say thank-you and regardless of how terrible I think I’ve been at being your mommy that day, you tell me how much you love me and that I’m the best mommy ever and the best cooker ever especially when it’s cocoa krispies or chicken nuggets.

You were certainly God’s gift in a time when He knew I needed you most.  I prayed that your Nana would see my children, and oh yeah God, if you could make this last one a girl, that would be great too.  And He did.  A precious girl named appropriately after my mother.  I sent your daddy to the store for a gallon of pink paint for your room.  Your daddy and I fought over naming you but in the end I won, and he knew that he didn’t stand a chance.  I love introducing you as Martha Kate because I know that so much of her is in you.  

I sometimes feel guilty because I had so many distractions when you were little in taking care of Nana and then taking care of myself, but now I know that it only makes me treasure the time I spend with you even more.  Even though you don't remember, you helped comfort me from so many unpleasant things. You went with me every morning to see Nana before she went to heaven - and even when you were that little, you knew to kiss her gently.  I wanted you to soak up as much of her as you could, and I needed your company too.  I tell you that I think your favorite place on earth is my lap.  I love how you sit in it, fall asleep in it, and reach your arms up to be held even at 6.  And I hold you.  I think that’s why God has kept you little for so long - so I can hold you and make up for the times when I couldn’t.  

At 6 years old you have developed quite a sense of fashion, a love for music, love for dancing, an imagination that is bigger than the sky, and a heart that is bigger than your body.  You don’t command an audience but if I happen to catch one of your theatrical performances for the latest Disney soundtrack or one of your daddy’s 80’s songs, I’m sure to be mesmerized by your confidence in your dance moves, your passionate expressions, and your ability to stay in tune with every word.  (As I write, I’m listening to you video yourself singing Happy Birthday to yourself complete with ‘cha-cha-cha”).  You have determined that red cowboy boots go with everything.  I’m almost convinced that you’re right.  You love jewelry - especially the kind that sparkles and love to wear it and pick it out for me to wear.  I let you because I used to do this too.  And, you LOVE high heels.  We were in the grocery store parking lot the other day, I was hurrying you as usual, and you stopped dead in your tracks and said, “Listen, mommy! I love that sound!  Do you hear it?”  I didn’t so I asked what sound and you said, “high heels!”  There was a lady across the parking wearing heels.  You have taught me to slow down and sometimes stop to appreciate the little things in life.  

You love the outside.  When you were a baby you would be screaming your tiny little head off and then I would walk outside and you would instantly stop - wide-eyed and looking at the trees.  We spent the first 6 weeks of your life in the backyard swing.  Maybe that’s why you like to swing so high now - or maybe because it is the closest to flying that you can imagine.  You love to play and dream up elaborate stories for your toys - they have such a fantastic life.  The Polly Pockets and the Lalaloopsies get to go to school with the Playmobil people, live in castles with Rapunzel, swim in hotel pools with Barbie, and have picnics with Strawberry Shortcake.  It drives me crazy that you mix them all but I also know that the beautiful thing about your personality is that you don’t see boundaries or limitations.  Everybody and everything should get along.  You are certain that cookies and candy are a food group and if they were you’d be considered a great eater.  You love to draw and make cards - you make me one at least every week and one for anyone else that needs one.  Now that you can read and write, they are even better! 

At 6 years old, you are decisive, opinionated, and not easily persuaded.  It takes you point five seconds to decide if you like something and you don't ever look back.  I hope this is how you always are.  And, believe me, there’s no forcing you into it, unless I want to pay.  You don’t really care what people think and if anyone dares to say anything about how your boots don’t match, you look at them like they have two heads and somehow make them believe that THEY in fact were wrong for wearing sandals. 

You are my helper and I’m learning to let you help because you’re getting really good at it.  You like to help me plant flowers and pick them out and I know this is how I learned to love plants, because I helped my mother too.  You just learned how to pull the plants out gently and love when it rains because you know they will grow.  You love to help me cook, windex my windows, pass out the plates, and help with my painting projects.  You even figured out how to wrap birthday presents in the car on the way to the party, a skill you will find useful for many years to come.  When I need something done quickly, I ask you because you can get it done before the boys in the house can think about it. 

Yes ma’am you are quite a girl - 33 pounds of sunshine.  Full speed, all day, all the time, until you crash.  You bring people into your world and they have a hard time saying no.  This will serve you well too.  We all love you so much - even your brother, though he looks grossed out and doesn’t always act like it.  I”m proud of who you are - confident, creative, and self-sufficient - and more proud of who you will become.  
Happy birthday, Martha Kate Jessop!  I love you so much!

Mommy