Another birthday for my beautiful first born.
This one feels different though…and I promise not to ramble.
Maybe it’s the black hole that now replaces her top two front teeth that just makes her seem….well, more grown up. It could be her humor, the snort when she thinks something is funny…the slight roll of her eyes at the ridiculousness of her 4 year old brother’s antics.
No, it’s probably the training wheels that came off her bike last month….or it might be this years beach silhouette where she looks so much like a girl, and not so much like a “little girl.”
I have to say, I worried a little about her.
So shy. Quiet. Introverted.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that….
It has kind of always been who she was.
She is just a thinker…always figuring it all out.
As a mom, though, you worry about self confidence, self image, self worth.
Well, as a put her to bed tonight, realizing that when she woke she’d be 6, I remembered a great converstaion we had about a month ago.
I was saying how lucky I was to be her mom, as all moms say to their children.
I believe I said, “How did I get so lucky? You are just such a wonderful daughter.”
Her reply was cute, and something I will never forget.
She said, “I don’t know, Mom…and I am smart, and funny……(she really started thinking hard), and creative….and I can sing pretty, and I am artistic…you are lucky”
The list kept coming, and it wasn’t arrogant.
It was how she truly felt about herself, and in that moment I knew she’d be okay.
What matters to me is that she loves herself and that she knows we love her.
Life’s short….the ups and downs will be immense.
With love, we can get through anything.
Marlie showed me what it meant to become a mom.
My first born.
No one can ever replace that.
Best 6 years of my life.
I love you Mar. So so much.
Happy 6th birthday.
**disclaimer: those last pics in the peace sign goodness is a pair of jammies she got from her buddy Ava for her birthday. She looooves them and the only way I could get full cooperation was to allow an outift change at the end into this. Of course, I obliged! **
Laura Barnaba - So sweet Lindsay! I love the pictures. She is so beautiful! Your silhouette shots are amazing.
Lara - You always make me tear up when I read this blog! Happy Birthday, Marlie!
Gina - Linds…your pictures make me cry but your words about your beautiful Marlie make me burst into tears!! I love the pic of her riding her bike…so big, so proud of herself…what a moment! I hope her birthday was great! You know?? She’s a lucky girl too!