To My First Born

Today I was fixing your braids and said, "I love you". You rolled your eyes said, "I know" in a voice that told me you were embarrassed, but also let me know you appreciated the reassurance. I'm sure as you get older, it will get more embarrassing, but I promise I'll keep saying it, because I know you'll also need the reassurance even more.

You are no longer a baby, toddler or even pre-schooler. You are beginning to grow into a wonderful young lady. You have an insatiable desire to learn, you have a personality that truly makes you "somethin' else", you have wisdom beyond your years.

You are developing a sense of empathy and I am so proud of you for the hard work you've done to understand and respect other people's feelings. I appreciate that you have talked through your thoughts on these matters with me and I am incredibly impressed that at the young age of 5, you have consciously stopped yourself in the midst of an activity and thought about how you could help someone else feel better.

You totally rock a flouncy skirt. And a dance floor. You've attained the top TWO scores on Wii Fit tightrope walking and no one else in the family can beat you. You ride a "two-wheeler" with no trouble at all and run "super fast". You can hang upside down from your knees and climb a fence.

You're trying more new foods, even if you don't like them and you've attained a level of cooking skill unmatched by some college students.

You are bubbling over with life and energy. You are a caring, loving big sister and an amazing and fabulous daughter. I think you're wonderful, and I love you.