Lorelei's Birthday Non-Letter
Tomorrow Lorelei turns six. For the past almost-nine years, I have spent the night before a child-of-mine's birthday writing her a blog-letter about why she is so cherished. But as they've grown, I have found myself increasingly self-editing. Shouldn't they grow as individual selves, privately and on their own terms? I have journals for both girls, which ought to stick around longer than my blog, and I write to them. That is where this year's birthday letter for Lorelei will go. So, what am I writing about here? Having been there at Lorelei's beginning, gestating, birthing, nursing, chasing, trying not to throttle her, the eve of this child's birthday is an expected retrospective. Aw, look how far we've come! Oh, how I love her. My dear Lorelei. And. Well, as you consider this person for whom you are responsible, yet can never entirely know, it's hard not to start measuring your own mommying of her, mentally pouring into that Pyrex measuring cup a
