to the sweetest six year old

My sweet Ruby,

I used to be timely with such love notes and documenting your milestones.  Then I had two other little people to fraction my attention.  I'm going to go ahead and consider this being within the same week a victory.

Six years old.  It seems impossible.  Sometimes, it's hard for me to believe you are mine, let alone that you have been apart of our lives for that long.  You are the very illustration of the thought: my heart is walking around outside of my body.  Being that you are my first - my little guinea pig - there are so many unknowns.  Sending you to school is exciting and absolutely terrifying.  I love hearing about your friends and the things you love about school (everything!) but to think of anything negative happening to your precious little self makes me nervous every single day.

You have always had such an unselfish love for the rest of the world.  Compassionate and a caring heart that humbles me greatly.  After spending most of this year being pregnant and very sick, that appreciation has been magnified greatly.  Hearing prayers of healing being whispered over your lips repeatedly, your helpfulness with  Eisley and around the house has been so far beyond your years.  I'm thankful for your love and awareness for others' needs.

You learned to read at the beginning of February.  Watching the pieces fall into place and your look of delight as you read was amazing to witness.  You have since mastered the BOB books and point out various words and phrases that are familiar.  You love the idea of chapter books and we have begun reading them at bedtime.

Your imagination continues to embellish pretend play in the most amazing ways.  You love to play school and and recently, you spend a lot of time writing stories.  Your first story, written in October, was about you and Eisley being super heros and rescuing cats and catching bad guys. You are inspired by Doc McStuffins and create casts out of paper and stickers.

You sing along to the songs on the radio, count to 100, and teach Eisley addition facts to pass the time in the car.  You love going to ballet and I can always count on you to remember things at the store that didn't make my shopping list.

This fall, you went to a cheerleading clinic and then got to cheer at one of daddy's football games.  You told me, "All of my dreams came true, I am a REAL cheerleader!"

Most recently, I feel like the size of my heart must have quadrupled with the love I now hold for you (and your siblings).  Watching you love Luca and appreciate the smallest details delights me in a way I find impossible to put into words.  Just the other day, you helped me put his tiny clothes into a basket from the dryer.  It took you about twelve times longer than it should have, and upon inspection, we discovered you were pulling things out one at a time with excited squeals, "This is SO CUTE!"  You sing to him and rock him and just love him.  You marvel at the miracle of life and his tiny, perfect little body.

Other things you love include, but are not limited to: Jesus, waffles, princesses, arts and crafts, pedicures, family, singing, and school.

Six years old seems impossibly too old, but your wonder about the world and the way you love without question makes me realize how little six really is.  We are crazy in love with you and what you bring to our family.

Happy 6th Birthday, precious love!

Love you to the moon.
Mama