Happy 4th Birthday, Madeline Emma!!!
Dear Madeline,
On your 4th birthday, I would like to give you a little picture of the amazing little person you are.
You and I have had a very special relationship from day 1. The morning you were born, I stood beside table as the nurses weighed you and dried you off. You were screaming so I put my hand out towards you and said, “hi, sweet girl!” You grabbed my finger and seemed to recognize my voice, and you instantly stopped crying. The nurse told me I had to stop soothing you so that you could scream and clear out your lungs. I took a couple steps away from the table, and you began to scream again…but only for a few moments until you started sucking on your hand and soothed yourself. Later that day, I changed your diaper and rocked you to sleep while your momma tried to get a little rest. I was already so in love with you!
I moved into your house a few days after you were brought home from the hospital. I was trying to get my life and medical school applications in order, and your mom and dad were incredibly kind and welcoming, and let me take over the guest room and eat their food for the next 2.5 years. Side note: if you’re reading this several years down the road and I have a job and am living anywhere besides your parents’ couch, come give your auntie a high five because it has been a long and adventurous rode, my dear!
We would joke that I was your second mom because I spent so much time with you, but I think you figured out pretty early on the difference between an auntie and a momma! Megan tried to sleep train you, and the second you’d cry, I would pick you up and rock you to sleep. She would come into the room and say, “that baby was supposed to be sleeping on her own!” I would just shrug and say, “But she was crying.” When you were old enough for time outs, I would see you sitting in the corner and immediately get you out. When your mom told me you were supposed to be in timeout, I said, “yes well, she didn’t like that.” I always did whatever I could to avoid seeing a frown on your face or tears come from your eyes! Your mom says she is going to have to help me raise my kids so that they don’t turn into little monsters, but that’s neither here nor there.
Your intelligence was soon very obvious. You have a smart brain, Maddie! One of your first sentences was, “Conna mean!” You would shout it whenever Connor would give you too big of a hug or take something from your hand or not let you take something from his! We would repeatedly tell you, “No, Maddie. Connor is not mean! He’s your big brother!” One night at dinner, Connor took a piece of food off your plate and ate it. Without reacting, you turned to us and said, “See? Conna mean.” Nobody could stop laughing! When you learned how to say my name, it was never Mal, Mallory, or Auntie. It was immediately, “My Mal.” Every time I would leave the room, you would say, “Where My Mal go?” When you would see my car in the driveway, you’d say, “My Mal is here!” You still call me “My Mal” and it melts my heart every time.
You get so much attention everywhere we go because of how adorable and beautiful you are. Your blonde curls, bright blue eyes, tan skin (seriously girl, where did that come from? …I’m jealous), and gorgeous smile really turn heads! You are used to this attention, but you still act shy every time. When we are out alone, I am sure people think that I’m the most stuck up mom ever, because whenever they say how cute you are and that you should be a model, I respond with, “I know! Isn’t she the most perfect little child you’ve ever SEEN?!” Needless to say, I am one of your biggest fans!
You definitely have a fun sense of humor and silly side to you, which means that you fit into your family perfectly! You like to sit on my lap and read me books. You find all of the funny pictures, show them to me, and then we burst into laughter. We often get into these giggle fits, where we just look at each other and laugh. A common phrase of yours is, “cracks me up!” Your big brother is especially good at making you laugh, and you two seriously have the sweetest brother-sister relationship. Connor always tells you to come in his room and snuggle him when you wake up, and he always lets you tag along and play with him and his friends when they come over for play dates. You look up to him and he adores you. You have become like the little good luck charm of his baseball team, and they all come pat your head and say, “Hi, Maddie girl!” You bring so much joy to everyone around you.
You have so much sweetness, humor, and love in your personality that reminds me of your momma, but you also have this fire in you that seems to be uniquely yours. My prayer for you, sweet girl, is that you never ever lose this. I found this sign in a store that said, “She is the perfect combination of princess and warrior.” I instantly knew that I had to get it for your room, as it is such an accurate description of your amazing personality. Even though you are little and young, and cute and sweet, you don’t really take any bull and you know how to stand your ground. You are not a pushover. You are assertive without being unkind. I cannot tell you how rare this is for young girls, and please know that this is a wonderful quality. It is something I still don’t have and I strive for it, and it seems to be inherent in you.
Sadly, there will come a point in your life when the world starts to tell you lies about yourself…they do this to young girls you know. Sometimes these lies may even come from trusted friends, which can make them harder to spot. You will be told to tone down your princess…to be less of a warrior. When people tell you that you’re beautiful, you will be asked to deny it, instead of just saying thank you. You will be told to straighten your hair and quiet your laugh. You’ll be judged for being so smart, and some people will ask you to pretend you’re not. Some people, will even tell you that you’re not enough.
Please hear me, Madeline. When this day comes, see these lies for what they are…garbage. I can tell you right now. You are enough. You are smart. You are loving. You are generous, kind, and caring. You are funny. You are sweet. You are unique, and you are well loved. I pray that you never stop genuinely laughing out loud, being assertive, and being fully who you are…both princess and warrior.
If there ever comes a time when the lies become really loud and get into your head, please come talk to the people who know you best. Believe us. We know the truth.
You are going to do such amazing things with your wild and precious life, Miss Madeline. I already know.
