Grow
“Every moment is the start of the next big thing in your life.” – Marianne Williamson
I always joke that I want you to stay little forever with those sweet tiny baby teeth and innocent smile, but it sure has been fun watching you grow these last six years.
You are the little girl who stops for every dandelion to make a wish. The unabashedly carefree lover of all people and things. Every toy in your room has a name, a backstory, a special place in your heart and a scheduled bed time. You dress yourself and your American Girl doll in the same clothes to watch TV.
You color inside the lines on your paper and awesomely outside the lines on your lips.
You are one of the most empathetic people I’ve ever met. You can feel the hurt and pain others feel and you want to make them better. It takes people their whole lives to tap into that emotion. You were born with it.
You skip often, laugh even more often and cry when a kid is being fussed at on TV. You like to dirty up in the mud but you clean up just as nicely and you can apply a mean eyeshadow. You prefer dresses to pants and whenever a song comes on the radio, you nonchalantly point out that I have to be the boy in the dance number because you’re wearing a dress and I’m not.
You try new things and meet new friends and are brave in new situations. You are smart and love math and reading. You can invent things, which usually involves couch cushions, pillows and straws and sticks.
A rainy day is pretty. A sunny day is pretty too. You love your brother and always give him a kiss and hug before leaving for school. You often draw pictures that include sunshine, rainbows, blue skies and green grass. And the four of us. Always the four of us. With big smiles.
You can boogie board all day in the ocean despite large waves and slimy seaweed. Rollercoasters are fun. Spinny rides are even more fun. I think you would give up walking if it was socially acceptable to cartwheel everywhere you went. You are a loyal bunny bear owner, a charismatic Lily and Wendy lover from Peter Pan, and if there’s an infomercial on TV for something, you want it. Grow, my love. Grow and keep living your beautiful unassuming and carefree life. And when life gets so busy, always stop, pluck a dandelion and make a wish.
March 2015