Six.

Dear Addy,

A few weeks ago, you turned six years old.  Between your "friends" party and your family celebrations, it felt like your birthday lasted a couple of weeks - just the way you'd prefer it I'm sure. 

When I think about you, today, at 6, my mind can start to race - you are a bit of a complicated one!  You are no longer a little girl - at times I feel like you are closer to tween than toddler, something that is hard to believe!

You are such a gentle soul - to your classmates, your siblings, to our new puppy Hank, to strangers we meet.  You are so gentle and patient and kind and truly seem to have already grasped what it means to be a great friend.  You compromise what you want and put others needs ahead of yours.  You are WAY more patient with your sister than I am sometimes.  You are the type of kid that I am 100% sure will be first in line when it comes to being a patrol, a helper in the kindergarten room or on Mrs. Castor's leadership team.  You simply are that kind of kid.

With that softness and gentleness can sometimes come a whole whack of sensitivity, but we're working on that.  Your feelings can sometimes be quick to hurt and when you live with an almost 4 year old sister who knows how to push your buttons, sometimes the tears just flow.  You feel so deeply and although there are times when I wish you would toughen up a touch, I do want to foster your sensitivity for good.  You see people who are hurting, who need a little extra, who could benefit from your joy and you gravitate to them and lift them up. 

We tried a lot of new things over the past year - the two major ones being ringette and piano.  Ringette was a success, although very basic and more like glorified skating lessons than an actual sport but you looked forward to it every week and always tried your best.  I so look forward to watching you next fall in the next level.  Piano was the same - you thrived.  Your teacher is simply perfect for you - positive, gentle, fun, full of song - all traits I'm sure are meant specifically for you.  Like your brother still struggles with sometimes, piano can also be extremely frustrating for you and when things are difficult you can sometimes crumble.  But we're working on that, and each and every time you sat down to play you gained strength and determination - even if that was motivated by earning Shopkins cards :).

You have had just a perfectly wonderful year of Kindergarten.  You were 100% ready in September and you have completely thrived throughout the whole year.  It is so rewarding as a parent to see your child do well in school - both socially and academically.  I have had the opportunity to volunteer a couple of times in your classroom this year and each time I so enjoyed watching you with your class.  You have already made some pretty special friendships I think, and are very lucky to have so many amazing friends. 

If you look at some of the research on middle children, you will see that middle children are stereo typically neglected by their parents.  I have a hard time believing this to be true with you.  It would simply be impossible, even if I tried, to neglect you.  On the one hand, your drama and emotion and personality scream for and straight up demand the attention, but on the other, you have such an amazing draw.  People simply want to be around you.  They want to hear what you have to say and want to know what you think.  And I, my sweet girl, are no different.  So please keep talking to me.  We have been working lately on talking through our problems instead of simply crying them out.  I remember my Mom once saying to me as I bawled on her shoulder but had no words - "I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong".  I want to listen to every word you say.  And I want to help you.  I have said to you often lately - "I am on your team"...I promise that to be true. 

I have never once wished for you kids to stay little.  I thoroughly enjoy watching you grow and mature and become more independent from me each and every year that passes.  But, in June of your Kindergarten year, knowing that Grade One will be upon us soon and with it the full day, every day school day that it brings, I am most confident in this - I will miss you.  Your little sister will miss you.  Our mornings together, although often spent running errands or with me working away will not be the same without you.  I feel so grateful that I had the opportunity to be home a little more with you than with your brother.  I think you needed it, but I also think I needed it.  I needed to soak you in a little more and hold you a little tighter, but now you're ready.  And in the mean time, we will get to spend the summer together loving on each other (and driving each other crazy) and visiting Mickey and Minnie! before September comes and our time together gets cut.  Just promise me that you'll make up for it when you can.

Love you, sweet girl. x6

Love,

Mama
xoxo