Her laugh sounds like fairy dust falling from a rainbow. She turns her palms up in the cutest way when she is telling a story. She is determined to do her own hair. She puts together the most spirited of outfits. She sits and colors for hours. She taught herself how to read and wouldn’t read to us until she could do it pretty much perfectly. She still calls pretzels “print-zels.” She is fiercely independent. It takes her forever to fall asleep at night. She loves to help. She nods her head when trying to convince us to do something. She feels everything. She loves unicorns. She is tiny. She is strong. She finally mastered the monkey bars. She loves treats. She can ride without training wheels. She loves to sing and dance. She is a natural caregiver.

She’s the first one who ever called me Mommy. She makes my heart soar and question everything I’ve ever known about parenting at the same time. She’s the one I pray for the most. She needs me to teach her lessons I’m still learning myself. She holds my hand. She still loves to snuggle. She asks great questions. She pushes me to deepen my abilities as a mother.

I have no idea how 6 years have gone by. I could have sworn I left the hospital with her yesterday. I’m in awe of who she is becoming and also just trying to hold on and take it all in. I still pinch myself sometimes that this little precious thing chose me, chose us. I’ll be forever glad that she did. She is joy. She is love. She is strength. And now she is 6.  Happy birthday to our M.

Find the joy,

Jessica