An Open Letter to Princess

Dear Princess-

I was perusing some photos of you just a while ago, to send to a friend for use on his blog-he's looking for photos of cuties to inspire a future post, and I of course thought of you.  The hardest part was trying to decide which ones to send:I could go all "stuck in a crane game", but that's so predictable.  Then there's all the gloriously creative choices in clothing you have made over your years-but he wanted a photo, not an album. Then I thought, "hmmm.  Maybe one where she is being unbelievably hilarious?".  So I narrowed it down to three:

The one where you won a $100 bet for licking your elbow;
The one where you crammed most of an orange into your mouth and crossed your eyes for the camera;
And one of the many MANY ones where you are wearing a moustache.  You made moustaches cooler than any hipster could.

While looking through these photos, I couldn't help but notice, you are turning into me.  Someday (perhaps later today...) you will not want this to be true.  But I am hoping one day you will look at yourself, something funny you have done, a unique perspective that only you could have, and you will see me in you.  And I hope one day that will cause you to smile.

You have an amazing spirit.  I'm not just saying this because I love you.  Others notice it, and stop to watch you.  Your facial gestures, the pure wonder in your expressive eyes, all of it.  A friend was telling me just yesterday how much she loves to watch you. Granted, you were making unbelievable faces at people's clothing choices, or looking like you were struggling to not point out some perceived flaw in someone else, but each expression was comedic gold-you didn't even know you were doing it.

I know that in the future this propensity towards over-expression will drive me to rant and rave and swear a lot, but I just had to tell you that I have always loved it too. 

I see you coming up with strange things-you make an amazing side-kick.  When you go back and forth to an automatic door, I will say, "Princess, leave the poor door alone, you're teasing it".  Instead of rolling your eyes or looking at me like a limb just fell off, you pick up my cue and offer a sincere apology to the door, patting it as you walk off to some distant fantasy land.

This morning, you made me a cup of coffee, then asked how it tasted. You wanted to know if I could taste the love.  I can.  I did.  And I will not forget it any time soon.

These are the things that make you, you.  No matter your size, shape, or income, you will always have the most amazing heart.  Every time life is unkind, something seems unfair, or you are upset about where you are/how you look/what you do, know that nothing is more important than what your heart holds.

Don't lose it.  Don't sell it, don't hide it.

Love,

Mama