Ezzy Bezzy! My girl! Another trip around the sun for you…I’m so lucky I get to watch you grow. This past year was a doozy for us all…unexpected, weird and challenging. But you made it so much fun for all of us! You had to come up with creative ways during your 10th year to entertain yourself and in the process you entertained all of us. You are the heartbeat of this family…..we would all be lost without you. Despite the funky year here are the things that captured you the past 365 days.
Your knack for being the most helpful, most available-when-we-need-you, most willing family member increased 10 fold! You are always there for everyone…even(and especially)for the jobs everyone else runs away from! You hold the garbage bag when we’re emptying the cans, you pick weeds until there are NO MORE WEEDS, you carry heavy things, you fix things, you stand by our side to assist whenever we need it. The best part is we never have to ask….you see us in need of help and you instantly stop what you’re doing and step in. And you always finish with….’is there anything else I can do?’ Rockstar!!! Seriously the greatest character trait, Ezzy Girl!
You confidently said good bye to soccer and let us know that it just wasn’t your sport. I was so proud of you for listening to your heart and having the courage to let dad and I know. You are now an official hip-hop dancer and you are loving it. You have rhythm in your bones…you are always dancing and in the studio is where you are meant to be. You come alive. You also took up running this year. You are up to 3 miles and I love having you as a running partner. You set a goal and stuck with it and you’ve put some miles on that track! We ran the St. Paddy’s Day dash together and it was certainly a highlight of my year! And…your skiing…well, lets just say I’m glad you wear bright pink so I can see the little speck you become when you blaze by me at top speed and leave me in the dust…ha! You are fast!! And now you say you want to pick snowboarding up again next year…I’m all for it! I love your athletic drive!
Online school was definitely not your first choice but you THRIVED! You went from a not-so-organized, not-so-great with time management and shall we say a little forgetful when it came to assignments …to very organized, very good at managing your time, a self starter, a self motivator and a tech whiz kid! Your teacher always commented how much she appreciated you in the zoom meetings because you were focused and participated so well in all of your discussions. She has told me on many occasions what a great example you are for your classmates. I had fun being able to listen in on your school days and really see what a true leader you are…..I often had to remind myself that you were only a 5th grader….because you sounded like a college student!
You are so aware of and concerned with social justice…you always have been. But now you have a fire lit inside of you to see where inequalities exist in your school, your community and around the world. You recognize when things aren’t fair and it bothers you. Thinking about you leading your community and your school and your peers to right the wrongs and call out injustices when you see them makes my heart swell beyond words…..you will be the change, Ezzy!
With friend meet-ups and hang outs pretty much off the table, you and neighbor Ellie decided to get creative and figure out ways to spend every daylight hour together in between school and sleep. The two of you formed a friendship that is beyond special and you have bonded more than you ever probably would have had we not been locked down. You guys are so loyal to each other and do the kindest things to show how much you care. You baked special treats, talked for hours around the fire pit in the pouring rain and cold, dark winter. You danced endlessly in the street, you became awesome little skateboarders (and you have the scars to prove it) you performed plays and built a tree-house, you rode your bikes for miles and miles on the long summer days, you spent evenings at the beach photographing the sunsets, you walked Lucky up and down the hills of Blue Ridge, you camped in the backyard, you sold vegetables from the garden to all the neighbors, you chased the ice cream truck barefooted to get him to stop on many occasions, you played badminton in the street until it got dark, you ate udon and rice and pizza and just about every dinner together outside on the deck or in the yard…this last year was basically one big picnic with Ellie! Your friendship is pure, genuine magic…..it’s so beautiful to watch.
Things you loved…Full House episodes, making videos, pushing Lucky in a wagon down the street, sleeping on the couch with Millie and Ewan and falling asleep to movies, long boarding, Brooklyn, Avery, Frances, Sofia, Vivian, Isla and Ninon (in addition to Ellie), poetry, reading, Phineas and Ferb, non-dairy ice cream, sushi and salad wraps, wearing my high heels, overalls, converse tennis shoes, hamburgers, Roblox and netflix parties with Sofia!
Esmee, you put the biggest smile on my face!! I think about our inside jokes all the time and find myself hysterically laughing (crying) because they are just so funny! I love that you still want to hold hands and stay extra long in our hugs. I love that we got so into our reading together for the GLC…that was something I looked forward to every evening. You are the greatest middle child ever! Our lives would be completely boring without you. Thank you for all the joy you bring to everyone around you! Happy birthday little (not-so-little) Buggy!! I love you so so so so much!!!!! xoxoxoxo
- Mom
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