Katherine, my
birthday girl, my big girl… you are 5
years old today! I am smiling as I am writing this for you, because I am so
proud of you for the person you are becoming. My caring girl, my smart girl, my
pretty girl and of course my curious girl. If there is anything to be
questioned, you will be there to ask the question. I have lost count how many “why”
questions I answer in any given day, but I love it that your questions often
make me pause because you ask about a problem I had never thought of. 
Santa had
brought you a big toy Ferris wheel, and it has 7 little cabins. Part of the toy
is a ticket booth where the little toy figures can buy their little toy tickets.
The only problem with it? There are only 6 tickets that came with it… that made
no sense to you (and after you mentioned it, daddy and I had to agree… and we’ll
now have to ask the toy maker). In the meantime you solved the problem – you simply
made an extra ticket; and while you were at it you also made some toy money so
they little toy people can pay for their toy tickets.
Today was your
special day and when you woke up you exclaimed that today was all about you! It
was your day, and I feel grateful that I put everything else aside today to spend
your special day with you – it became a special day for me too. We made
cupcakes from scratch together for your birthday party and I have to say you’re
becoming quite a little baker! We had lots of fun decorating them (originally
we had planned on blue sprinkles for the blue cups and pink sprinkles for the
pink cups, but you had a much better idea in mixing both colours because “it
looks like a lot more fun” – and you were right).
In the afternoon
you had a very special birthday party with your friends, a Frozen Minnie Mouse party.
You couldn’t decide on either, because you like both Frozen and Minnie Mouse,
so from that came the big idea to combine both (I am grateful for the master
party decorator at the indoor playground – who knew that Queen Elsa and Olaf
love wearing mouse ears…). I love seeing that sparkle in your eyes when big
ideas become reality… you truly believe that anything is possible. Keep
dreaming big!
On the drive
home after your party tonight, the conversation became more serious. You were
telling me that today was all about you and I told you, yes it was, it was your
special day and I really enjoyed spending the day with you. You paused for a
moment and told me that you wanted the day to be about me too, it should be
special for me too. I couldn’t stop smiling as I was replying to you that it
was very special because we got to spend it together.
You are teaching
me that days aren’t special because of a special date in the calendar, but because
we make them special, with who we are and what we do. You are still little, but
already you’re making difference – with every thoughtful question you ask, with
every idea you have, with every smile and every hug you share. I feel so blessed
to have you in my life; words cannot express the joy you have given me. I love
you always and forever.
