Six.

To my first-born,

Today, my beautiful daughter, you turn six years old. Today we celebrate your life, your joy, your 'you-ness'.

You have brought so much into our lives, starting with that first positive pregnancy test six years and nine months ago, to today. You are such a sweet joy, full of light and love for the world.

This past year you have really opened up. You have grown from a timid little five-year-old into a confident six-year-old. You are no longer afraid to try new things, and even jump right into them. Kindergarten has taken me by surprise with how much you love it, how easily you dance onto the bus, how much you come home having learned.

Your interests are becoming fine-tuned with an absolute love of art, adoration of puppies (and most animals), and a wonder for being and playing outside. (The kind of wonder and joy I remember having when I played outside for what felt like hours, even by myself, as a kid.)

I love watching you at your tennis lessons because you look like you are having so much fun, skittering around the court and learning something new. I loved watching you put on your first pair of ice skates and slipping and sliding around the ice. And even though you kept falling, you didn't give up. You didn't even want to hold onto me, instead telling me, I want to do it myself, Mom.

As you grow up you are learning the meaning (and use) of grown-up words and how sometimes they aren't literal but figures of speech. And even though sometimes I wish you'd stop growing (it's happening so fast!) I love that you are growing up and becoming more and more of your own person.

Even though I sometimes claim you are emotional, you keep most of your feelings and emotions inside, something that worries my mama-heart. I want you to know that I am always here for you, and that I want to hear what you are thinking and how you are feeling whenever you need to talk.

I love you from the tips of my fingers, with every beat of my heart, to the tips of my toes. I wish I could explain to you how my love for you is bursting in every cell of my body.

Today is a new year for everyone, but for you it is a doubly over, filled with the possibility of 2014 and also being a new age, six.

I wish for you to be happy with who you are, to be healthy, to find joy in your life. I wish for you to always know how much you are loved, how special you are, how much the world needs your amazingness.

Happy Birthday, Hope Margaret!

xoxo, mommy