Dear Daughter-Child,
You are eight today. Whilst that notion fills me with complete glee and a tinge of sadness over how quickly you’ve grown up, I am – as ever – proud of you. These are my eight things for you, on your very special day:
1. I love that you and I have a set of favourite songs we share. I know this came about because, when it was just you and I, we would always have music on, and we’d always dance. I love it when you come home and say “mom, you must hear this song!” and then we look it up on YouTube and sing along, loudly. Or I hear something and think you’ll love it, and we get all excited about a song and sing so loudly the neighbours probably question our sanity. I love that we sometimes skip storytime and head over to YouTube to discuss music videos.
2. It is said that the number 8 represents wealth or prosperity in Chinese culture. You’re the greatest treasure of my life. You are the good fortune I did not expect in my life at 24. Every day, sweetheart, you’re the bubbly surprise and sweet song that plays in my head. If we flip 8 on its side, it’s an infinity sign. You are the infinite surprise.
3. I appreciate that you challenge me. Yes, you challenge me. You question my thinking, yet you do it with respect. You force me to think and not just respond. I love that you have an enquiring mind, that’s hellbent on understanding and deeply knowing everything you possibly can.
4. Emotional Confidence. There’s a certain something that you do. Yes, it’s been difficult to come to this point, and you understand that sometimes emotions sit in your throat, unable to explode. But you try your very best to expel emotions into words, and talk through your feelings. With you, it’s not just a relation of a day’s events, it’s always led by emotions. I know your day by how you felt, not by what you did. That very texture of your life – that’s where I find my greatest smiles. It’s helped me, more than you know. You understand why sometimes I have a bad day, and know that it passes. You also know that it’s okay to ‘have a sad’ one day, because the next one will be better.
5. You’ve begun accessing the parts of your brain where your true creativity lies. And where, my dear, are you finding the creative parts of you? You’re finding them in words. You write pages of things in your journal, without care about convention…and I love it. Whilst I’m not pinning anything on you now – I don’t care if you grow up wanting to be an accountant or an astronaut but there is nothing that makes me smile more than your journal entries. Where you list the things you love, and the discoveries you’ve made, or what you dreamt of. That, my darling, is the most important book in our house.
6. You have limits, and you’re not afraid to tell people what they are. That sounds strange to say to an 8-year old, when all the parenting police members will come at me and be like “make her do everything and try everything because she’ll learn”…I’m not talking like that. You have limits on a day, and things, and experiences. You’ll tell me when you’re tired of shopping, or ready to turn something off, or would prefer to move on from doing something. You don’t get bored, you just get finished with something, and you’re not afraid to say so. Knowing your limits and being comfortable with them? That’s something I wish I’d known so much sooner in my life. I applaud you for that.
7. We have conversations now. We don’t just pass the time with words. We converse. We have fun. We investigate together. And we laugh. Oh how we laugh.
8. You are, beyond words, courageous. When something scares you, you yelp – either verbally or figuratively – and keep moving. You don’t stop. You’re determined, no matter what. That kind of inner strength and internal confidence is something most people work towards their entire lives. Even when you are scared of something, you say so, and look to get beyond it. You are, very much, the SuperGirl you call yourself sometimes. That, my darling child, is the very essence of you.
I am, as ever, proud that you chose me to be your mama.
2920 days. That’s how many mornings I’ve woken up to be your mama. I can’t wait for the next million. Happy Birthday.
XXX