Dear Hazel

Dear Hazel,

I can’t believe you’re six!  Stop that growing up! 

I’m sorry this is the only picture I took of you on your actual birthday.  Sometimes its just more fun to enjoy you than to take your pictures.  You do look pretty happy.  You are quite a 6 year old.       

You were quite pleased with your sixth birthday.  Especially the bacon and chicken pot pie.  You went to school and we had a little family party that night.

Your real party was a week later (after you had a chance to get to know some of the girls in your class at school).  You have been so excited to have a friend birthday party (we’ve decided only do friend parties on the even years).   You’ve been planning and changing your party plans all year long.  Finally you decided on the same exact party that you had when you turned four.  A fairy tale party at Pine Banks Park.   That was a smart decision……you loved that party two years ago and it would have been pretty risky to ask your poor uncreative mom to come up with and implement another good idea.  You’re a smart girl!Your party guests came dressed as their favorite make believe character.   You went as Wendy and Charlie went as Captain Hook.  Emmeline went as some kind of cute little fairy with zebra glasses.  She was over the moon about the way she looked.  You thought she was pretty cute too.  During the party you and your friends decorated swords and magic wands to arm yourselves for the treasure hunt through the forest.  The hunt lead them to a piñata which you all whacked and whacked until finally your prizes fell out (boy do they make those things strong).   We had blondies in place of cake since you (in typical Hazel fashion) wanted something a bit different. 

Here’s what I love about you right now.  what I love about my 6 year old:

-  You are a unique little girl. You like to do things differently and have such a singular sense of style that is totally uninformed by the world around you.  I hope you always have this.   I love it.  I want you to keep every ounce of your Hazelness.

- You are, hands down, the best big sister I could ever dream up.  You are so kind to Charlie and Emmeline.  You are constantly teaching them and negotiating them through all kinds of things.   The minute one of them gets hurt you run to their aid and spill out all your compassion on them (sometimes in a very endearingly passionate way).  In the blink of an eye you will have rushed upstairs to grab them their favorite blanket or toy to help comfort them. I  think I can count the number of times you have gotten mad at Emmeline on one hand (it would take a few more hands than I have to count the number of times you’ve been angry at Charlie….but that’s perfectly understandable). 

- You are smart.  You have such a good little brain in your head.  You get the world in a way that many adults miss.   You are good at making connections and seeing things that I don’t see. 

- You have an unfailing sense of right and wrong.  You know what is right and you want to do the right thing.  You also want others to do the right thing, which is a little hard sometimes.

- You are an artist and a creator.  You have an incredible eye for beauty and see beauty in places where others miss it.  Daily you think of some new way to make something creative and beautiful.   I love it that you love to look at art with me.  You see a depth that I miss sometimes.  I can’t wait to see what you create.

- You are a good friend to Charlie and so many others.  You’ve learned so much about making friends this year.   Everyone at school seems to love you. When I come to pick you up from school I hear almost all the kids yell out “goodbye Hazel!.” 

- You are a serious help to me.  I rely on you probably more than I should.   Thanks so much for your help.

- You are becoming quite a little musician.  You’re ear is incredible and you play the piano and sing with a passion well beyond your years.

- You have a connection with the Spirit.  You recognize God working in your life and have helped me to see Him more clearly.

I love you, my little girl.