Esmee's 11!!

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

Ewan's 6!

Oh boy, oh boy!!!  You're six, little buddy!  Birthdays get you SUPER excited....and your birthday gets you the most excited!  You've been counting down since you turned 5 and now it's here.  For your special day today, you requested corn, watermelon, cake and cucumber sushi....and you said 'mom, if you can afford it can I also have a twix bar?' ha!  You got it!   Dad and I were just discussing how making the decision to have 3 kiddos was probably the best thing we've done!  Who knew what spirit a little boy would bring to this family....but not just any little boy......it had to be YOU!  How lucky we are that we got you and what a huge impact you've made on us.  You are a dream kid and our party of 4 was complete when you arrived and made it a party of 5.  Here is what you were up to during your year 5....

KINDERGARTEN!  Woohooo......all summer leading up to your start at North Beach Elementary, you would declare..."i am NOT going to Kindergarten!  I am staying home with you!"  But as soon as you lined up on the first day of school (reluctantly) and met your teacher Mrs. Janzen, and saw the other cute kiddos in your class, you were hooked!  You wanted to go to school everyday from then on!  You realized immediately what a blast kindergarten was.  Your favorite things at school were lunch, snack and recess.  You learned to read and do math.  You loved going to assemblies and P.E.  You loved impressing Mrs. Janzen...in fact...if you were acting naughty at home, all I had to say was...'hmmm, what would Mrs. Janzen think of your behavior?"  and you would quickly turn it around, ha!  You got really excited on the last day of K when she announced....'you are now all First Graders!'  You're ready! 

You LOVE sports!  Soccer is probably your favorite because you LOVE scoring goals...but you also enjoy playing goalie.  A funny side note is that you love playing soccer barefoot.....and you're actually better at scoring goals barefoot than with cleats, ha!  Your feet are red when you're done with a soccer session in the yard.  Your hand/foot/eye coordination is something to marvel at.  Be it tennis, golf, baseball, soccer, ladderball, corn hole or basketball you are one coordinated little munchkin!  I looooooove watching you play sports! 

I think I write this every year, but some things never change...you are still the pickiest eater!  And you've even stopped liking some of your staples that you used to love to eat a few months ago.  Fortunately you do love all of your fruits and veggies and green smoothies so you are getting good nutrition.  But after fruits and veggies, it's basically bread, pasta and rice.   And you do LOVE cucumber sushi....you tried it at a restaurant with Mimi and you've requested it daily ever since.  

Cheese pizza from Soprano's is tops on your list too :)

Your best friends are Indy, Griffin, Kai, Duncan and Walter.  You've recently discovered video games and your favorites are Lego Incredibles and FIFA soccer.  You hate doing chores and rarely clean your room.  You looooooove dogs, especially your boy, Lucky!   You love to get in his dog bed with him and cuddle.  You love to build things and take things apart.  You love to snack.  You learned how to ride your bike this year and love cruising up and down our street with the neighbors.  You lost your first tooth and have a couple other loose ones.  Every day you ask us 'how many more days until Christmas?' You love sleeping with your sisters.  You love playing 'puppy' with Esmee and watching "Woody Woodpecker.'  You have the cutest little freckles across your nose and cheeks.  You love imitating our voices.  You hate having your hair washed, and it's a chore to get you to brush your teeth.  You have the most heart melting smile.  

Ewan Stone.....it is bitter-sweet watching you grow up.  I want you to be our baby forever.  But I know that is not what you want and I am enjoying getting a glimpse each year of who you will become.  You are pure sunshine and we love you so incredibly much!  Thanks for being our boy!!! Happy Birthday! 

xoxo

Mommy

Millie's 12!

My sweet, sweet Millie.  This last year has probably been your most transformative…I think 11-12 is probably the biggest change I’ve seen in you thus far (and can only imagine what 12-13  will bring, oy!).  The memory of meeting you for the first time 12 years ago is so vivid in my head and heart that I can still feel the weight of your little newborn self in my arms.  When Kalaya chose us to be your mom and dad she made us the happiest, most grateful two people in the whole wide world.  Her ultimate sacrifice was a gift beyond measure.  I needed her to create you…and boy did she create a magical creature.  And she needed me to carry the torch from the moment you entered this world.  An honor I do not take lightly.  My bond with her lives on in YOU every single day.  You are the biggest gift and greatest example of what the love between two mothers can forge and all that is possible in creating a family.  I admire her and celebrate her on your birthday too.   I’ve cherished these last 12 years with you, MillieBeans….you came into our lives and gave us purpose and instilled in us a love that there are no words to describe.  Here are a few things that describe your 11th year….

A big leap from elementary school to middle school!  I wasn’t prepared for the difference a grade makes….it really blew me away and had me trying to catch my breath at all of the fast changes that occurred in such a short amount of time.  You were nervous and excited about going into 6th grade.  You went from a grade of 50 kids to a grade of 250 kids…a big jump.   You made a lot of new friends….really good new friends….and you grew stronger with your old friends.   You had a friendship explosion! In Middle School, it’s tough for us to know all of the new people you’re meeting…but we trust you so much to make good choices because you just always have….you associate with good people and it was really fun to watch.  You fit right in and got the hang of changing classes and dealing with a much heavier school load.  It wasn’t always easy and the subjects were much more challenging…but from a Mom’s point of view, I feel like you came out of sixth grade unscathed, happy, excited and ready for 7th grade.   I was beaming.  

You juggled 2 soccer teams this year….we were a little hesitant to let you do both….but you made both the club team and the Whitman Wildcat’s team so you decided to give it a try.  You had practice most nights each week and 2 games each weekend….and you crushed it!  You were captain on your club team and you were a starter on both teams.  And to my amazement you managed your time so darn well!  You made every practice for both teams, you made almost every game (except for the couple of times they overlapped) AND….you still managed to get all of your homework done, your home responsibilities taken care of and you had great grades throughout the year.  I was tired just watching you…but you thrived with a full schedule!  

You took the babysitting course and pretty much got jobs right outside the gate.  Friends and neighbors were on the edge of their seats waiting for the day you could officially babysit.   You have quite the little money making gig going!  It’s impressive to watch you manage the money you’re making and purchase things you’ve had on your ‘wish list’ with that hard earned money.  And you’re really great about saving your money too!  I love seeing the responsibility that comes with all of this….you’re nailing it :) 

Just as you were at the height of your social hangouts and a little more freedom to roam the streets with your friends, the pandemic hit.  Not being able to see your friends, school ending abruptly, soccer coming to an immediate halt and a new fear of the unknown….it hit us all like a ton of bricks.  But I think it hit you especially hard because you are such an extroverted, social butterfly and you were forced to limit that social interaction that you thrive on.  It’s been tough on you and you’ve been really great at letting us know how hard it is.  I love that you open up to dad and I so easily…especially when you’re sad or mad…you wear your emotions on the outside and you don’t hold things in……a quality that will serve you well in life because it allows you to feel all the feels and move on.   You’ve graduated to outdoor hangs with distance and you’re managing it well.   Not the same as before, but you’re cherishing whatever you can get!  

Your best friend for the last 7 years has been Soleil and you two are as strong as ever!  You are the healthiest kid I know…scratch that…the healthiest HUMAN I know!  You drink daily green smoothies, eat walnuts for dessert, get your 10,000 steps daily, you value sleep, and you know how to calm your stress.   You favorite dinner is beans on toast.  You prefer vegetarian to meat dishes.  You love Gray’s Anatomy,  Fuller House and too often ask me if you can watch R-rated movies (lol!).  You can now wear my shoes and often do.  You are always dancing…always….you know every tok-tok dance and you’re really, really good at them.  You love shopping at Brandy Melville and you love wearing sweatshirts and jeans.  You win at almost every sport you play….you’re a damn good athlete.  You spend more time in your room to the heartbreak of dad and I (but we totally get it). You love playing around with make up and fake nails.  You wear your hair in a top knot all the time and it is the cutest thing!  You always ask me if you can have a hug (melts my heart).  You love your family and friends so much and are so loyal to all of us.  You’re cool….I think that now as a 46 year old, and know that my 12 year old self would have wanted to be Millie Keegan! 

We are so grateful for you and pinch ourselves daily at the joy you bring us.  You are a superstar….you are all things beautiful and golden.  I love you so incredibly much, Millie  and I hope you have the best birthday and a year of learning, loving and fun beyond measure.   

xoxo

Mom

Happy Birthday, Esmee! 10

Esmee!  Wow, what a finish to being nine this year is turning out to be, huh?  We never could have imagined we would be celebrating your 10th birthday at home with nowhere to go, but really, none of that matters….May 6th is a day to celebrate and relish YOU and we can do that anywhere…letting you know how special you are to us and this world is the easiest thing to do and gives me so much joy!  Double digits is what you’ve waited for and here we are….but first, I want to tell you the ways that your 9th year was so special….

You are the most helpful person we know!  Of all the adults and all the kids you are the one that always says YES when someone needs a hand doing something.  Even grunt work!  Even jobs that most people don’t want to do. You help dig in the garden, you take the trash out, you bring the groceries in from the car, you get up on the roof and help hang Christmas lights….i don’t think you’ve ever said ‘no’ to a request for help.   It’s truly remarkable, Esmee….you get joy out of being one of the helpers!   Whether big or small you will always be someone that others turn to when they need something….you care and you are always there.  Dad and I think that is one of the greatest measures of character.  I know as you get older and grow into a professional you will do good work in a field that takes care of others…it is in your blood, Esmee.  

You continue to be an athlete, and especially with sports that aren’t traditional.  You did re-join your soccer team again this year and came back to the SeaStars a new and improved player that worked so hard out on the field to catch up with your team mates after taking a year off.  You played continuous outdoor and indoor soccer, several weekends double headers.  You played defense and goalie and you were tough!  You loved being back with your girls and being part of the team.  But whats really fun to see you do is ride the waves out in the ocean for hours, scale a fence in mere seconds, jump wide-gapped logs with ease and balance,  climb heights that give most people fright, hang from trees and pull yourself up a rope swing to get to the seat.       You have a strength and determination to do hard things….things that require focus and grit.  

You started out being 9 not really into reading.  It was a bit of a challenge to get you to sit down and read quietly for any given time…you just didn’t enjoy it.   When signups for The Global Reading Challenge came around at your school, you weren’t sure if you wanted to do it.  But with a little convincing, you signed up…even though none of your friends were doing it and you had to give up your Friday recesses for several months to attend practices.   You put your mind to it and you read 7 of the 10 books in a span of 2.5 months….you took notes and studied the characters and recalled to all of us what you read about when you finished a book.  You comprehended each story and actually started to LOVE to read!  I was blown away by your commitment to yourself and your team.  When the in-school challenge came around, your team won….out of 12 teams, you guys got 1st place!  It was such a proud moment for Dad and I….we were beaming knowing that you were such an essential part of that team win.  Your face was priceless when they announced the winner because I know that you felt that pride in accomplishing something that in the beginning you didn’t think was attainable.  Turns out your team really were winners, because you went on to win the Virtual Finals 6 weeks later with a perfect score….The Reading Rockets are the 2020 Global Reading Challenge winners! Bravo, little lady, Bravo!  

At one of our recent conversations at dinner, we asked you what your favorite thing was about being 9….and you responded “getting Lucky!”  You guys are two peas in a pod and have been since day 1!  You make sure he is well taken care of!  You tuck him into your bed with you every night...it is the cutest thing.  He loves you just as much!  Your bond is unbreakable :)

You are a master builder...be it furniture, legos, fixing something around the house that is broken....you are brilliant at figuring things out.  You LOVE Legos and are soooooo good at them!  I see architecture in your future!

As for our current new normal with Coronavirus…you are taking it in stride.  You miss your friends and school dearly but have had such a positive outlook about all of the changes.  You’ve taken to poem writing and written your thoughts beautifully.  You have become closer with Ewan and Millie and you guys are loving ‘camping out’ in the basement most nights together.  You’ve formed a sibling friendship that can’t be broken….you guys are tighter than ever.   Millie and Ewan adore you as much as Dad and I do, Esmee.  

Your best friends are Brooklyn, Avery and Frances. Your favorite foods are beans and rice, white chocolate, avocado sushi and meat…you are a carnivore!  You love converse tennis shoes, mixing patterns and wearing coats and jackets.  You love books and tv shows about simple times and lives…Little House on the Prairie, Anne of Green Gables, When Calls the Heart.  You love laughing and a good cry.  You love watching cake making videos and craft videos.  You have a heart of gold…pure gold.  

You make us so proud, Esmee.  Each day we thank our lucky stars that you are ours and we can’t wait to see all that life has in store for you.   Your character speaks volumes for the path you are on and what your future holds.  You will do great things, Ezzy girl, and we’ll be your biggest fans cheering you on all along the way !

Happy Birthday!!!!  We LOVE YOU!!!!! 

xoxo

Mom

Happy Birthday, Ewan!

Ewie Bear!  You’ve been talking up the Big 5 for the last 6 months!  You’ve been sooooooo excited for this day to come.  You’ve wanted to know how many months?  How many days?  How many sleeps?!  Turning 5 is a big deal!!  And since I know you’ll look back on this letter when you’re older, I should note that I’ve also ‘canceled’ your birthday about 10 times today for some cheeky, devilish behavior.  Ha!  Fortunately for you, you finished out the night sweet as an angel and the party is on!  

You’ve been my little side-kick this last year, since you and I got a lot of one on one while the girls were in school or off at their many activities.  I have cherished year 4 with you like no other.     We make a great pair.  You are so fun to be with and I’m going to miss the amount of ‘Ewan time’ I’m so used to having!  But it’s time for you to turn 5 and start Kindergarten…so before that happens, I want to reflect on the things that made you YOU this past year….

You attended your second year at Little Explorers preschool and you grew so much in your independence and knowledge of the world.  You learned Spanish, some French, how to say ‘hello’ in Chinese, you learned about the planets and how Pandas eat bamboo and are in danger of becoming extinct.  You learned about the ocean and weather and why our flag has 50 stars.  You learned songs and played games and regularly tried new foods.  You were constantly coming home with new things you learned about and couldn’t wait to teach us.  But what you really learned this last year at school that makes my heart swell with pride is how to be a good friend, how to help the younger kids when they needed assistance, how to take turns in a group, how to compliment your classmates, how to give a hug to a buddy that was upset, how to share your lunch when a friend forgot theirs, how to stick up for yourself when someone wasn’t kind to you, how to apologize when you weren’t so kind to someone else and how to give others a turn when they wanted something you were using.  You see, your teachers would tell me regularly about all the times you did something special or something kind or something brave and each time I felt so proud to know you were being such a benevolent, good-hearted person.   Those are the moments parents live for.  Thank you, Ewan.  

You made a bunch of great friends this year and we started doing playdates.   Your besties are Cora, Luca, Zach, Santiago and Lucien.  You also loved your teachers!  Miss Lily, Miss Emmy and Mr. Jared were your favorites.  You couldn’t wait to tell them things that happened on the weekend and you would always gauge things with ‘hmmm…I wonder what Miss Lily would do or think or say….” 

You have a special, albeit different relationship with your sisters.  You love equal time with both of them and you cannot wait until they get home from school.  You love playing school and ‘doggie’ with Esmee (you’re her pet dog) and you love jumping on the trampoline and reading with Millie.  I love how close you are with them.  You love to put the air mattress between their beds and have a sleep over in their room whenever we let you.  

You love Paw Patrol and Monster Trucks, soccer and riding your bike.  You love taking baths and you’ve just started loving swimming.  You finally took off on your snowboard this year and you couldn’t get enough.  You’re still an incredibly picky eater, but you do love fruits and veggies.  Your favorite foods that you eat on repeat are:  peanut butter and jelly sandwich, cinnamon toast, Pho, butter noodles, watermelon and seaweed.  You’ve promised me when you turn 5 you’ll try new things…..we’ll see about that!  You still holler out at random times and in random places how much you love us and it always stops us in our tracks….there is nothing better than hearing that!  You have long skinny frog legs and are an incredible athlete!  

You are the baby of our family but you’re growing up so quickly.  We are all obsessed with you and cannot imagine life without you as a Keegan!  We love you so much, little buddy and thank you so much for loving all of us right back.   Happy birthday to you, Sweet Ewan!  I just know 5 is going to be a magical year for you and I can’t wait to watch it all unfold.  

xoxo!

Mommy

Happy 11th Birthday, Millie!

Dear Millie, 

i just tucked you in for the last time as a 10 year old, and it really hit me how this year more than any other has revealed just how mature and independent you’re becoming.  It’s bitter sweet as a mama to see you blossoming into a young lady, but I couldn’t be more proud of the person you are becoming.  Age 10 put a huge smile on my face watching all of the things you accomplished and learned and from the eternal sparkle in your eye I think you loved it too!   Here are a few things that brought us joy…..

5th grade!  We were on Barnes Island with the Niskanen’s when you got your teacher assignment last summer.  You and Soleil literally did back flips and shrieked when you found out that you guys were going to spend your last year in elementary school together in the same class!  We were all elated!  You also got your other bestie, Anya which was a HUGE bonus too!  Turns out, you made so many sincere, genuine, lasting friendships with so many kids this year, boys and girls included.  There wasn’t a single day that you didn’t want to go to school.  You were actually bummed when vacations ‘dragged on too long.’   

You applied for 5th Grade Leadership and got in.  You were dedicated and committed to being a role model at your school.  You volunteered to help out whenever possible with school functions and charitable events.   You auditioned to be the MC for the school talent show and were voted on by your peers to host!  We were so proud of  you!  And you totally nailed the show….you are a natural born leader and such a talented public speaker.  

You made the Orange team for Celtic Soccer.  That’s 3 levels above your last team!  You worked hard and played hard and they took notice!  You wowed them at tryouts for both fall and spring and you were a huge asset to the GO8 Orange squad.  Dad and I were especially proud of you because you were the only one of your friends who bumped up.  You didn’t know this new team quite as well, but you headed to practice with your chin up and made new friends and proved to yourself that your talent, grit and work ethic deserved that spot on the team.  One of my favorite things as a mom is watching you play soccer, Millie!! 

You love being with your friends and you are loving a new found independence.  Although you still love to sleep in your sisters room (and you might always!) we’ve noticed you love spending more time in the basement doing ‘Millie things’ or hanging out with your besties.  Your friendships are strong and people love being around you.  But even though you are becoming your own individual, I love that you still want to be with us.  You love playing family games (Mastermind and Fairy Queen) and you love snuggling and giving us all hugs!  
You love the show 'Fuller House,' reading, soccer and snowboarding.  Your favorite food is bean burritos and sushi and you are pretty good about not eating much junk food.  You love Soleil and Anya and Macy and Emily.  You love Pink Drinks from Starbucks and you've been wanting to wear mascara. 

You continue to love your brother and sister fiercely and family is so important to you!  As you mature and set out to do more and more things on your own, know that I am always here for you and will always have your back.   I’ll be there when you succeed, but more importantly when you fail.  I will help you up when you make mistakes and set you back on the right path.  I will never stop loving you, my Millie Girl…in fact, my heart will burst into a thousand pieces daily with all the love I have for you.   You are a shining light…I remember the moment I first laid eyes on you as if it were yesterday.   I thank my lucky stars everyday that I get to be your Mom.  Have the best birthday, and I can’t wait to see what your 11th year has in store for you!!! 

xoxo!! 

Love, Mom

Happy Birthday, Esmee!

My sweet Esmee Star. 

My little middle who is now not so little anymore.  You have been counting down the days until you turn 9, and now it’s here.  What an amazing year we had with you at 8.  Here are a few of the things that stand out from this incredible last year…

You decided you wanted to give rock climbing a try.  We signed you up for classes and you quickly took to it and scaled the tallest wall within your first few classes.  You have no fear!  I can barely watch you climb without shaking in my boots and you seem to become a real life spider girl and naturally and gracefully make your way to the top.  You put a lot of thought and care into your foot and hand placements and you make it look so easy. You climbed Smith Rock in Bend, Oregon while we were on Spring Break and made me the proudest (and most nervous) Mama when you reached the top!  It’s so fun to watch you do something that I would never have the courage to do.  You try things that are not on most peoples radars.  Such a cool claim, Girl! 

Third grade has been a wonderful year for you.  You love both your teachers, Ms. Dethloff and Ms. Obst.  You have made new friendships and kept your loyal crew of friends you’ve had since Kindergarten.  You are a leader in every sense of the wor....you lead by example and all of your peers look up to you.  Your teachers rely on you when they need help bringing the class to order or getting a project done.  You take the reigns and take control. You help the kids that don't get as much attention and need it the most. People feel confident in your presence.   It’s an honor to walk the halls with you because I see how you put smiles on peoples faces and everyone says hi to you.  

You have a laugh that gets better with age. We always say you ‘get stuck laughing.’ You actually laugh so hard, your face gets stuck in the laugh and it makes us all laugh uncontrollably as well.  We’ve tried to capture it in a photo or video but it doesn’t do it justice…it’s something that has to be experienced in person, in the moment! 

You are the best sister!  You and Millie are so close….but what I really have loved watching this past year is your friendship with Ewan growing so strong.  The two of you are inseparable.  It hasn’t always been like this.  He was kind of a buggar to you the last few years.  But as of this last year, he WORSHIPS you!  He wants to be right next to you at all times.  He loves doing things with you and requests your presence every chance he gets.  He loves building legos with you and jumping on the trampoline, especially!  And the rest of us are no substitute.  It’s YOU or no one!  Your patience with him is so sweet and I cherish watching it. 

You’ve shown more independence and like spending time in your room doing crafts and reading books.  Your best friends are Madison, Frances, Brooklyn, Avery and Olive.  You love getting steps on your Fit Bit and have even made it a competition with me…and I love that!  You always try new foods and you earned a spot in the school play…Alice in Wonderland.  You are a Party Guest and Sea Creature and we can’t wait to see you perform!  

You are kind and caring and you speak out when something isn’t right.  You own your mistakes and tell me when you’ve been dishonest.  You admit your faults and take ownership.  You add so much value to our lives, Esmee and my heart swells being your Mama.  I am the luckiest person in the world that I get to celebrate what an amazing human you are each year…..and really, every day!  Thank you for being you.  Happy birthday, My Beautiful Daughter. I can't imagine life without you.

I love you so very much!  xx

Mom

(it's apple juice, i promise! )

that laugh! 

fearless!