My very best girl, you are eleven!
You are more than two handfuls of years now which means that I’m a lot more than that. Sometimes I talk to other moms with younger kids and they tell me, “Oh! Your kids are big!” And, I guess you are! Somehow you got big without me even really noticing. Well, except for the fact that I don’t have to drag sippy cups and Cheerios everywhere and tell you to sit down in the grocery cart all the time. What I need you to know is that I love big kids. Somewhere in the last year I’ve started to see more of exactly who you will be as an adult and it is my very favorite. You are the perfect mix of sweet and sass - a sprinkle donut with a side of spicy fries.
This has been your very last year of elementary school so there have been so many last things but with a lot of firsts to come just around the corner. When people ask me if you’re ready for middle school, I say that you were pretty much born ready for anything. And that is so true. You, my girl are always up for an adventure! If I tell you we are going on a trip, you are the first one packed and usually have a list for me of things not to forget and to buy at the store. You also pack snacks and even extra ones because Daddy never packs any but is the first one to ask for them. You are the most prepared of any of us for sure. You even make schedules for yourself on a white board in your room, complete with inspirational quotes. A friend asked me if I thought you were so prepared because that’s the way you’ve had to be since our life has been a little nuts sometimes. Maybe so, but it will serve you well.
You are also the most flexible. I don’t think you’ve had much choice because sometimes our plans kind of get derailed, but you complain and usually look for something fun in spite of it. I’ve tried really hard this year to keep things a little more calm, but as you know, that’s not an easy thing to do around here. You sometimes have to sit through boring appointments or with boring adults at events when I know you’d rather be doing other things, but people always complement you on how well behaved you are and it makes me very proud. There’s a real art to being patient and waiting and I’m so thankful you are learning that now.
You are the most helpful girl around. As G-Daddy says, “you are as handy as a pocket on a shirt.” You always help me without being asked. You are the first to help with the grocery bags and when everybody gets in the car you come back to help me get all the stuff, because I always have to carry a lot of stuff. It’s mostly everybody else’s stuff because I sometimes I don’t remember my own stuff, but you’ve gotten really good at reminding me and sometimes you are standing at the door with my purse and my keys and pick out my earrings and shoes. I’m just not sure what I’d do without you. I watch you help other people too - opening doors and picking up things off the floor, and especially when you see older people or little kids that need help. I have also watched you help your brother without him knowing you’re helping and because of him you have learned how to best help others. Your heart is big and you keep it wide open so others can benefit.
My girl, you are a lot of fun. I love to take you places with me because I know it will be extra fun. We got to go on a lot of trips last year from Hawaii to Chicago to Nashville, and you and I even escaped for a few days to New York City. It was the first time just you and me have flown in a plane together and we got all the Starbucks and all the snacks the whole time. You had to sit through some boring adult things but the rest of the trip was worth it. I let you pick what you wanted to do in New York and we did exactly that - The Carousel, Central Park, picnics, M&Ms, American Girl, and the ferry. We ate ice cream and donuts and Starbucks the entire time because you and I would rather be seeing things than eating things. We even walked back to Times Square just one more time early in the morning because you loved it so much. You carried your own luggage, navigated the subway, and planned our next adventures the whole time. It was just the most fun! But, I like to take you on errands too because you make the boring fun and give us a good excuse to get ice cream.
I have watched you grow so much this year, a little in size, but much more in personality. You are still the same creative independent little being that you always have been, only much more. You make wonderful creations, like the earrings you made me for Mother’s Day, and your school art projects. You love to sing and you sing all the time and like to play your favorite songs in the car so you can sing really loud. Sometimes your brother tells you to be quiet but I love to hear you sing and I hope that you keep singing more and more. Sometimes you sing at church when Daddy plays guitar and it’s just the absolute best, because your voice is pure and innocent, just like you. People ask you if you get nervous and you say no, which is true because it’s your favorite thing. I get nervous for you because I could never do that, but I remember that I’m not you at all. There are little parts of me in you and we like some of the same things, but you are definitely your own little person. You are also really good at running even though you’re not a fan of practice. It has been so much fun to watch you this year - you are sometimes the smallest but you’re end game is strong - boy can those little legs move! After all, they’ve been moving fast since you were born. And, it’s a good thing because you’re the only one that can catch Sophie when she escapes.
You are sure of the things you love and sure of the things you don’t love, which I think is a little like me but maybe you’re better at standing your ground on that and I’ve learned a lot from watching you. You love donuts, breakfast at Starbucks, anything rainbow, creating, singing, high heel shoes, and you have your own sense of fashion. You love the beach and swimming and swinging as high as you can because you feel so free. You also love any sliver of time with just me. You love traditions and remind us of them - like celebrating Nana’s birthday, drawings on your lunch bags, Nativity sets, and Easter egg hunts with Resurrection eggs. You love flowers and you always stop what you are doing to pick them. You have taught me that there is always time for that. You love giving and you give selflessly to us and to others. You love stories about when you were little and stories about your Nana. This year for your birthday you chose her chocolate cake and we made it together. I added sprinkles because I think she would have and we talked about her and her perfect handwriting and how she loved you. I’m pretty sure she was right there overseeing the mess we made. I also wrapped eleven little gifts because you are always wrapping and giving. You said you loved the chocolate cookies the most - I’m not surprised.
You do not love bugs, being dirty, camping, math, wearing shoes, when people don’t get along, and you have perfected the hand-on-hip-finger-shake. It breaks your heart when people are sad and you'd do anything to see them happy. You make choices on what you like and not because someone else is doing it. Your imagination is higher than the sky and you are almost always content.
You are the brightest ray of sunshine that came along exactly when we needed you. I am thankful that I can still pick you up and squeeze you so tight because you will forever be my smallest baby. I love when you put your face so close to mine that I can count all 874 freckles and I love the way your hair streaks blonde through the red like sunshine through the clouds. I love the way you tell the truth and say what you are thinking because no one has to guess where they stand with you. I love the way you stand up for others and for what you believe - I basically just love the mess out of you.
You have so very many gifts and so very much to offer to this world - I love them all. But, mostly I love that you are mine.
Happy Birthday to my best girl!
Love,
Mommy
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