Thanks so much for checking out my latest birthday letter. This one is for my youngest child, my little girl, as she turns five in autumn 2020. I love writing to my daughter! I hope it makes you feel the love, and inspires you to write to your daughter too!

Happy birthday to my Tiny, to my daughter, to my little Berry. What a year you’ve had! This is such an important time for you and I’m so excited for everything going on in your life.

This has, of course, been the year of COVID-19. The virus has changed our lives significantly but we are safe and sound, here with me. 

Big Brother continues to do virtual leaning here at home, which is what’s best for us. And as a bonus, you guys get extra playtime when he would have been at school – and you’re getting to experience the Gifted and Talented class, plus the entire school day as a second grader! PE, music, matematicas… it’s wonderful and fun for you to be able to “school” together.

Our family is even closer than ever due to the pandemic, though my selfish heart still wishes that you and I had all of our quality time like we did before. I know, I know, there’s no point in talking abut the “what if” and the “might have been”, but I so cherished our time with “Mama and Tiny” when Daddy was working and Bro would be at school. You and I did it all! – playdates at the gym, coffee shops and grocery shopping, playgrounds and friends. Now while we get more quality time with Bro, it’s a lot harder for you and I to carve out special time, just the two of us.

You’re at this amazing point in your young life where you sometimes remind me of how much you can do, how old you are, and how much you observe and understand. And then, just a moment later, I’m struck by how little and tiny you are, how young and innocent. You will be reading and making up comics with your brother and a minute goes by and you’re asleep on the couch. My little darling, how I love you so!

There are so many incredible, inspiring, badass women in your life that you can look up to. You have your grandmas, your aunts, and brave smart women who are moms of your friends. The list goes on and on. 

I want you to always feel beautiful – but not just beautiful, as our society does a good job of a girl’s “prettiness”, but special and brilliant and amazing. You’re so kind in how you think of other people and always are the first to offer to help; you’re hilarious and think of the funniest things to say; you’re so artistic with an eye for color and your creative ideas; you’re absolutely brilliant with your learning letters and sight words, writing little stories, reading constantly or looking through books; you’re original from your outfits to your drawings.

I want you to be comfortable in your own skin, confident in who you are as a person, and to really know yourself. We talk all the time about listening to your body – do you need more sleep? Are you hungry, or just bored? Do you need to eat all of that, or are you satisfied? – but I want you to also listen to your heart and to your mind. If something (or someone) in your life doesn’t suit you, drop it. Don’t waste your precious life on things or people who don’t make you a better person, challenge you in the best ways, and get you to Heaven.

We will continue to work together, you and I, as you grow and learn how to navigate this world. It is so beautiful, so heart breaking, and your journey will be unforgettable! I will always be your biggest fan and I will love you no matter what, forever.

Mama

Thanks so much for checking out this birthday letter to my daughter. Do you write to your kids on their birthday? Do you give them the letter, or are you keeping it for when they grow up? Let me know in the comments!