To My Little Girl, Even Though I Won't Be Leaving You on Your First Day of Scool

To my little girl, my sweet little peanut.  It is not almost here, we've been on this journey all along. I brought you home from the hospital, and nursed you, woke you to eat.  You fit right in, you were calm and sweet.  That is until you needed something, just like the rest of us, you made sure we knew it.  You have little quirks that I had to figure out.  You have so much of both your dad and I in your big personality.  I love how you are so outgoing, we are still not sure who you got that from.  However, you fit in our family!

You came into the world screaming, and continue to live your life large and in the center of it all.  As fearless as you are now, you hated the swings, but you've always loved the slides.  I am grateful I was always there to catch you. I am glad I knew enough then to give you space to figure it out on your own when you said you were ready.  As much as this last year has taught me, I had some good instincts when you and your brother were little.  I have watched you grow, you have been by my side through bed rest and were the best companion. My sweet, you did not come out flying, but you are learning and earning your wings.

You are my girl that loves frilly dresses and playing in the mud, waiting for the day you can climb the tree alone.  Jumping feet first and with both eyes open into every pool, and every opportunity.  Miss E, you make friends where ever you go, big and small.  There is no teaching you socialization, you are far better at it than your reserved parents.  You care so much of others and even at 4 years of age, family is a priority in your life.  You have big dreams and see beauty in everything, and ask crazy questions (that mommy has to look up the answers).

I have taught you to talk, and sign a little, I taught you to think of others with your big beautiful heart. I watched you grow and gave you space to construct yourself.  So far and without worksheets or books, we have some basic addition, handwriting, and reading skills.  It touched my heart so, the first time you wrote MOM on the white board, unprompted and right in front of me. This was not some preschool teacher telling you to do it and handing it to me later. I am happy to say that as we begin Kindergarten this year (or K4 with some prek and some kindergarten), I get to continue to watch you soar.  I get to see the first time you read a sentence, and finish a math assignment, and when you overcome a struggle and it finally clicks.  I get to watch you learn and get excited about new ideas and concepts.  I get the priceless treasure of learning new things right along side you and your brother.  I know there will be hard days, I know this life and style of learning is not for every family.  I feel so honored and blessed that it is an opportunity for me and it that it works for our family.  So, you're still growing up, and still officially a big girl, but I get to help you learn the way you learn best, I get to change gears when a new idea excites you, I get to see it all! I won't always be teacher, mostly I'll be mom.  I'll never have to say I miss snuggling up to read with you, I can do that every day. While it is bittersweet to watch you grow and not be my tiny baby forever, we get to ride this wave together...

Together we will grow, together we will learn, together we will serve and I hope we will be closer through it all. So I will continue to give you some space and tools to construct yourself, we've done great together so far.  I won't miss out on 1440 hours of your life every year for the next several years, I will make so many of them into beautiful memories.  So let's go and face this journey and later, the world together!