Today is your 5th birthday, sweet girl! I am so impressed with who you are as a person. I always dreamed of having babies one day and I always knew those babies would grow up into real people. And guess what?! You definitely qualify as "real people" these days! But you're not just any kind of person, you are excellent, my child. And I'm not just saying that because you're mine. I'm saying it because it's true.
Let me just tell you, I enjoy being around you, Little Mack. I miss you when you're at summer school or playing with your friends. It's not that I don't want you to experience those things, it's just that you bring so much joy to the people you're with. And when you're not with me, I miss you and that joy! Here's why...
You are kind to the core. Even when you're naughty (because sometimes you are... only sometimes) it bothers you because deep down you know that God created you to be loving. And 97.5% of the time you are loving. You can't stand to disappoint those you love. Oftentimes you cry, not because you got caught, but because you think someone thinks less of you. You have a witty sense of humor and impeccable timing with your jokes. You're a listener and an observer. Both of these traits serve you well. You hear things, everything. Things you shouldn't hear and things you should hear. You remember those things and you question them, analyze them, and repeat them later. You watch people and nature. And as you watch them, you learn about them and question what's happening and why. You're curious about motives and why people make the choices they make. You're always hypothesizing about why things are happening the way they are. And when you hypothesize, you almost always assume the best in people. Keep doing that, Gracie! You forgive easily. It bothers you when people don't say they forgive you of your mistakes. You are smart. Smart. That word is a big word and people throw it around all the time. But you are truly smart. You connect new ideas to ones you're familiar with. You are logical and remember things easily. I'm convinced you have a photographic memory because you recall the most minute details of your experiences without effort and can usually paint a vivid picture with your description so that the rest of us can remember it with you. You're a talker. You know big words and what they mean. You speak as if you were older than your age. You can carry on conversations with people very easily and you rarely forget the name of an acquaintance. You persevere. When things don't come easily for you, you find alone time to practice the skill over and over again, until you've built confidence in yourself. You're honest with yourself and with others. You understand your feelings and right now, you're not embarrassed to talk about them, even the ugly ones, with me and Daddy. Always know that we're here to listen to what's on your mind, G. You love to exercise and eat healthy foods. You also love sweets and junk food, but you try to set limits for yourself because you value being healthy. Quite frankly, Goose, you are amazing!
Gracie, there is so much more about you that I adore. When I say that I'm blessed to be your Momma, I honestly mean that. I look forward to the day when I can call you my friend, but for now, it will be my privilege to call you my firstborn sweetheart. Happy birthday, Grace Mackenzie! The first 5 years with you have been the best years of my life. I can only imagine that the next 5 years will be an absolute treat! God has blessed you with so much and I love to sit back and watch what He's doing in your life.
Smooches and Squeezes!
Momma
