Dear Mia

You are 4 years old...going on 14.  You are sweet, funny, caring, thoughtful, and I feel so incredibly blessed to have you as my daughter.  You are beautiful on the inside as well as on the outside. 

Right now, you are struggling to balance being independent and wanting to rely on me for everything.  You want to pick out your own clothes and shoes, but you want help getting dressed (even though you are perfectly capable of doing it yourself.  Here are a few of your most recent choices. 

This, my dear, is your Christmas dress (note--it's June 2013 now).  This dress is for Christmas, but you have insisted on wearing it twice this month already. 

This, little lady, is a night gown.  While it does have princesses on it, it is not appropriate for the park.  On this day, it was rainy and no one was there--and I did not have the energy to fight this battle with you.  Therefore, yes, you wore a nightgown to the park (and all day at preschool because you refused to get dressed).

Lately, you have been talking a lot about your brother, Parker.  I think it is so great that you think of him so often.  I also worry about it.  I worry about you and how you are dealing with losing your twin brother.  I LOVE that you celebrate his life and seem happy that he is in heaven with God and Jesus (as you tell me often).  I love that you ask to send balloons up to him all of the time.  I love that you tell us we are a family of 5 and not 4.  These are things that you say...not things we have told you. 

I also love how amazing you are as a big sister to Paxton and as a friend.  You are so thoughtful.  You are a nurturer and caretaker.  You love everyone and you are always taking care of others.  You are upset right now as 2 of your best friends (Peyton and Ella) start kindergarten in the fall.  Unfortunately, you missed the September 1st cut off and will have to start next year.  You worry about this a lot, but you will make friends.   I try to reassure you that we will still see your friends a lot and that you'll meet new kids when you start school next year.  This is a picture of you and Ella from last weekend. 

You girls are so cute together.  I loved taking you to the bounce house.  You had so much fun.

I love you so much.  In my wildest dreams, I could not have imagined a more amazing daughter.  You make me happy every.single.day.

I love you forever,
Mommy