Dearest L,

You turned SIX yesterday! What in the name of everything that is holy is happening to the TIME? How has this happened?

You are in your last few weeks of Kindergarten, which is sort of blowing my mind. You are so smart and so sweet and so hilarious. You love PURPLE. You love to help me cook dinner. Or really anything I will let you help with. You are your brother’s BEST FRIEND. Your grades are wonderful and you love literally everyone. Which both delights me and also scares the bejesus out of me. You’re learning that kids are mean. And I am sure you have overheard me telling your Daddy how much I want to slap other parents for letting their children behave the way that they do. Honestly, I probably shouldn’t say things like that, but by the time you read this, you will be well aware of my “take no shit” attitude and you will have expected it. The truth is, I just worry. I worry that your sensitivity will be more of a weakness than a strength. I, too, am a highly sensitive person, my precious girl. I have been screwed over by a lot of people over the course of my life because I feel so much for other people. And people are cruel and thoughtless and take advantage of that. I want you to guard yourself and know your worth. But I don’t want you to guard yourself to the point where you miss out on important things. Because there will be so many amazing things in your life. You don’t want to hide away from them. I want you to embrace the beauty in your empathy and your sensitivity. I want you to stand up for yourself and know that these things are the most beautiful things about you. They are your superpower. Rock that cape.

You are the light in my life, L. You are the most beautiful thing I ever made. (And I should give your dad a little credit here, but this is MY LETTER.) I know that there will be times that you, like all kids, think that I want to make your life harder rather than easier, and I know that we will have arguments and we will most definitely disagree (probably A LOT) because mother/daughter relationships are complicated. But they are the most special relationships that women can have, I believe. Just remember that, despite our differences of opinion, our arguments, our little spats (and maybe not so little spats) that we will have in the future, you are the world to me. You are special and perfect and so so so loved. A life without you, my love, would not be worth living. It might not always seem like it, but I am your biggest supporter, my dear. I promise to do my best to show you that every day. But I will mess up. All of us parents do. And I hope you will forgive me.

I can’t wait to see what this next year has in store for us. More loose teeth. More field trips. More of your glorious laughter. More tears. More of me learning to be better for you and your brother and your Daddy. I love you. I love you so much that it hurts me. You are EVERYTHING. You remember that.

To the moon and back,

Mommy