Happy Birthday Maya!

Today my sweet youngest child, you turn four.  Four.  How did that happen so quickly?  I swear, just the other day you were bald, tiny (relatively speaking), and wordless.  Now, you are so tall, and cannot stop talking.  You want to know about everything.  You draw everything.  You are an amazing artist.  You draw things that I cannot believe you can do.  You spend a good portion of each day drawing elaborate scenes and writing words that you have memorized.  It blows me away.  You also love to play outside.  The swings are your favorite and you can go so high on your own now.  You tell me all the time, "look, Mama, I am touching the sky!"  You love to dress up, and also love a good mud pie. You wake up happy every day.  A happy like I didn't know existed.  You shine when you wake.  Shine and glow and smile.  It is my favorite way you look, and I have yet to capture it on film for fear of spoiling the moment. You love to ride your bike and got a new one from Nana and Grandpa a few days early for your birthday.You choose your own clothes every day, and usually come up with some very interesting combinations, but we roll with it because you are doing it all on your own, and they're just clothes, after all.  You have a fierce love for your sisters.  You are kind, sweet, gentle with animals and babies, and you claim to be the fastest runner in all the world.  You want to run all the time, no matter where we are going, and always ask, "can we run today?" Yo are sensitive, so sensitive and are quick to weep if you feel you have been wronged, but also bounce back quickly if we can make you laugh. You love to help in the kitchen, always asking if you can help me make dinner or if we can bake something.  You love to stir and crack eggs. You love Ryleigh endlessly, and call her your best buddy.  You treat her like a sister, and love to try to boss her around, but she has become wise to the fact that she doesn't have to listen to you, and that annoys you a bit.  You love to sing.  Your favorite song right now is, 'We're not gonna take it' by Twisted Sister.  You sing every word.  One day you asked me, "Mama, what they're not gonna take anymore?"  So funny that you actually listen to and think about what they're saying.  When you want to know the definition of something you say, "what means_____" which I think is a very sweet way to ask.  You have a major sweet tooth.  You sneak over to Nana and Grandpa's house to get a treat from the candy jar.  You think it is hilarious to sneak over there and not tell anyone you are going.  Nana called me a few weeks ago to ask me if I knew that you were over there.  It was 7:30  in the morning and just wanted to visit, so you went right over.  You love to be with them.  You are very attached to Daddy and tell him everyday when he leaves for work that you'll miss him and draw him a picture while he's gone, and you always do.  You love to play superheroes with Daddy.  You also love to paint with him.  You are becoming quite your own special person.  My sweet Maya, when you were born, I knew that you were amazing.  you have continued to prove it to me each and every day.  I will never forget that from day one you have done it your way, and that way usually works out.  I am so thankful that you made it through being sick as a teeny (again relatively) baby in the hospital,  that you were strong enough to pull through and be with us.  I am thankful every day for you, and remember how scary it was in the beginning often.  You are tough and always have been.  I have never met anyone like you.  You are crazy and silly and outgoing and caring, and you always want to pat every dog we see.  You love to say hi to Irish Grandpa in heaven when a crow flies by, and always say it so confidently and happily, like that crow is actually him, it makes me smile every time.  You love picking flowers and handing them out and always bring me a wishing dandelion on our walks.  I love you so very much my sweet girl, and cannot believe that you are four years old.  Happy, Happy Birthday.