To my Abbie Rose

   

Dear my sweet Abbie,

It’s hard to believe you are already six years old!  It seems like just yesterday you were this tiny little thing I had no idea how to handle.  You have taught me so much in the past six years – how to be a mom, how to be a better person, how to function on little sleep, what’s important in life.  You bring us our biggest joys, and also our biggest frustrations, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

You are such an amazing big sister to your little brothers, when you want to be.  You have a huge heart and you are always thinking about others, but you also like things to go exactly as you have planned.  You are great with Jamison.  No one makes him smile like you do and he gets so happy when we get you from school.  You talk to him so sweetly, and it’s funny because I hear how I talk to him when I listen to you.  You are usually good with Benji, as long as he’s going along with your plan.  If he decides he’s tired of being bossed around, that’s when all hell breaks loose.  You tend to get a bit pushy or you’ll just flat out smack him if he doesn’t do what you want him to do, but we’re working on that.  Other times you’ll give him what he’s throwing a fit about or you’ll say “It’s not that big of a deal.  Ben can have it.” or something to that effect.  Although you are always thinking about him because if you get a treat – sticker, prize, candy, whatever – you always bring one home for him and that’s so sweet.  I hope you three will always remain close.  You are definitely the leader of the pack.

You are our fearless girl.  You think things through thoroughly most of the time and you aren’t quick to make rash decisions at all.  When you pick out what piece of candy you want, it takes you a GOOD 5 minutes to handle every single piece and weigh all your options before you decide.  Going shopping with you is painful because you have to inspect every possible option of anything and then do this internal debate about it for at least a few minutes before you come to a decision.  And most of the time you still can’t decide and you ask for two of whatever so you don’t have to decide.  It’s half amusing and half frustrating.

Not much grosses you out or freaks you out.  You help me change Jamison’s poopy diapers, you pick up weird bugs, you aren’t afraid to get dirty.  You LOVE to explore and you are so creative.  I could give you a box of random junk and you could come up with 100 different things to do with it.  You love “making things with nature” as you call it.  You pick up sticks and leaves and make dolls or outfits or whatever.  You have quite the imagination and you love making things for people.  You make things out of cardboard or any other material any chance you get.  I love that about you, among many other things.

    

You’ve been asking for a horse for a year now.  Not too surprising since you come by your love of animals naturally.  You help with our dogs by feeding Sammer every evening when I remind you and sometimes you get their dry food for me in the mornings.  You like to help around the house when you’re in the mood.  You empty the dishwasher for me and sometimes collect the garbage.  You help with your brothers and set the table.  Your room is a complete disaster 95% of the time though.  You cannot keep it clean for the life of you (or me) and I can ask you 45 times to get your room cleaned and it’ll still be a total mess.  You’re creative and messy.

 

I still can’t believe you’re six!  I remember figuring out how to be a mom with you as a newborn like it was yesterday.  It’s so fun to have a front row seat watching you grow up and I’m so excited to see what the future holds for you, but I’d love to you stay little too.  I love you pippers!