To Emma on the day she turned 4

Dear Emma,

I feel like there should be a more special place to write my thoughts to you but since this is where so much of our every day high and low points are recorded this is where I will tell you today how much I love you.

I cannot believe you are 4 years old! I can remember the moment you were born like it was only hours ago. I remember the sound of your tiny little voice and everyone in the room being silenced so I could hear. Your eyes black as coal looked at me as you left the room and I am sure you were feeling as lost as I was. I am so glad we have been able to find our way together over the last four years. What a wonderful life we have here together.

You have become such a delightful little person. Everyday you grow more inquisitive of the things going on around you. You live in your own little world and from what I can see it is a most magical place. There are imaginary situations in your world I would love to be a part of. I'm so glad I can watch them unfold from the sidelines. For every thing about you I still am not quite sure how to handle I can list 100 we've worked out together.

What a great side kick you are. Whatever I am doing is alright with you. Grocery shopping, mopping, raking leaves, sweeping the garage, folding laundry, or cooking. You are happy to do anything I am doing. You've also taken quite a liking to washing your own dishes. And, even though I haven't let you see me do it yet I must tell you that when you put your bowl back in the drawer with oatmeal still on the inside I wait until I'm sure you've forgotten about it and I put it in the dishwasher.

Now that you're four you are just FULL of game play. You could spend the entire day drifting from one game to the next. Unless of course there is a chance you can play outside and then all games cease until the outside play is over. Nothing is better for you than exploring outside. You can read very simple words and I can't believe how you're exploding with new skills every day. Writing your name, cutting, counting all the way to 30 or remembering why those Pilgrims came to America.

I cannot imagine my life without you in it. You are a joy. I had absolutely no idea the day I met you how much space such a small person could take up in my heart. As you grow it seems my heart has too. I never thought I could love you more than I loved the tiny little version of you I wanted to keep. But, I do.

Happy Birthday little girl.

Love,

Mommy