On January 8th, you turned six. This morning you told me, “I can’t be five forever. I am six. You turned six too, Momma. Do you remember?” I understand your six, but I am reluctant to accept it. Everytime we celebrate your birthday, a part of me realizes I need to let go.
There is so much of you that I love. Not a regular kind of love, but love that I feel in my marrow. Belly-laughs. Conversations about what you learned at school. Watching you grasp a monkey bar and letting go of another. Your love of anything crafts. I see so much of me in you. You love to read. You write long stories that fill up the blank page. You observe everything. And you are restless just like your Momma. I love it when I am in the middle of anything and you say, “I want to be just like you Momma.” It’s the one of the best compliments I’ve ever received.
You are six. Now you have to use two hands to show that you are six. In four more years, you won’t be able to show your fingers to indicate your age. This realization is both startling and joyful to witness. You have definitely developed a personality. You love with intensity and with unconditional love. Both are palpable as soon as I receive a hug or kiss from you. Bold and sensitive, I worry about when you feel left out or an unkind word maybe dropped in your direction. I know though these are all curves that you must face. But I hope to equip you with the strength to face whatever adversity may come your way.
But for now, enjoy Six. I love you my dear sweet, lovable little girl. Happy Birthday. xoxo you forever. Momma
Welcome! I am a lawyer turned freelance writer, essayist, and editor. On staff at Literary Mama and the co-founder and co-editor of the literary journal, The Sunlight Press, my essays and reported work have appeared in The Washington Post, The Lily, Saveur, Civil Eats, Brain, Child, ESPN and elsewhere. I am currently at work on a memoir on grief and culture and how it provides perspective on life’s ordinary graces. I invite you to appreciate the ordinary with me. I hope my daily practice of seeing the magic in the mundane helps you celebrate and find more of these moments in your life too.
Absolutely beautiful! Enjoy six!
She is so beautiful, Rudri. Happy Birthday little one!!!
Happy birthday to your joyful, beautiful little girl! I can relate to your sentiments about watching our child grow up. It’s definitely bittersweet. And wanting to be just like momma? Who can blame her? 🙂
A beautiful post, Rudri. Happy birthday to your beautiful little girl and congratulations to you. I hope she had an amazing day! xoxo
A belated happy birthday to your six year old treasure! We love them with such depth and sweetness. Some things change as they get older, of course, but not that. At least, I don’t think so.
Happy birthday to your sweet girl, Rudri!
I love the image of her having to use two hands to show her age. What a powerful and bittersweet symbol.
Happy Birthday to your little one!! Hope she has an amazing day!!
Enjoyed reading your post, can totally related to it with my son turning 14. And with the harsh reality of him starting high school later this year.
As mothers, not sure if we will ever be able to let go!!
Love this! And what an enormous compliment to want to be just like you.
My son is 5 today and each year, I feel there are no words to capture all the love I have for him. What a privilege to be a mother, no?
Gorgeous.
Happy Birthday, sweet Mini Rudri! The gain in fingers to show their age and the simultaneous loss of teeth gets me, really gets me. Sigh.
What a wonderful post! Happy birthday to your sweet girl. It is so exciting and yet sometimes so hard to watch our kids grow up. I used to think my mom was so silly crying at all the milestones in my life. It is not until we our mothers ourselves that we finally get it.
What a lovely tribute post 🙂 I feel the same way, and my daughter is only turning 3 soon! The years, the whiz by, don’t they? It makes me glad that the days are sometimes so slow to pass.
Happy 6th!!