To Charlotte, on the Day After Your 6th Birthday

Darling Charlotte. This letter is a day late, seeing as how your princess tea party with 19 of your closest royal princess friends sort of took over yesterday. I didn't have much of a chance to ponder YOU TURNING SIX, but now that the glitter has settled a bit, I have a moment to tell you how proud of you we are.

I did have a sweet nostalgic moment yesterday morning. I got up so very early to get rolling on your party. While the house slept, and the second batch of cupcakes came out of the oven, I glanced at the clock. In just a few minutes, it would be 6:40 a.m., the exact hour of your arrival six years ago.

Naturally, I remembered your birth and holding you for the first time. It's hard to believe the little red-faced, black-haired baby I held is our bright-eyed, energetic Charlotte.

Dear girl, you are so naively sweet. You wear your heart on your sleeve, hiding no emotions. You've increasingly maneuvered your way through the social minefield of girlhood and so far seem to be holding your own without being a snot. It takes a LOT for you to be mean, and when you are, the person on the receiving end of your ire usually has it coming. Especially if that person is three. And has a name that starts with L.

You assume the best in people, which is amazing. Mommy and Daddy are not so evolved as you.

If our family was Inside Out, you would be JOY, hands down. (Mommy would be Fear. Daddy would be Disgust. Lorelei, of course, would be Anger.) Charlotte, you skip from spot to spot, or perhaps twirl and leap. You want to experience absolutely everything---so long as it involves zero strangers.

You love dress up, accessorizing, stories, and ART. Our world is perpetually littered with little tidbits of cut paper. You create and create and create. You arrange flowers, set beautiful tables, and draw and color and cut the most amazing creations. To you, the greatest things in the world are a blank piece of paper and box of crayons. And maybe some scissors and a glue stick.

You have a love of beauty. Certain colors and textures and ambiance strike your fancy. You like lit candles at dinner and flowers, flowers, flowers. You have distinct--and strong--opinions about what is pretty.

And you really love pink.

You've thrived in kindergarten. We love watching you learn and grow. We love peeking in on you as you're immersed in some imaginary world you've created, with emotional characters, high-stakes plots, and fantastic fashion choices.

You continue to be the best big sister. Little teacher, you are, educating Lorelei on all things academic, social, and behavioral. You edge on bossy sometimes, but that's okay. That's your right as a big sister.

Charlotte, we love you so much and simply swell with pride as you tackle something scary or hard, or flash us your Charlotte-esque smile.

Happy birthday, six-year-old. We love you.