Seven

We had a few cousins over for a very special couple of days. Having the cousins over makes the days special in and of themselves, but when they come for a special reason - that makes for a whole lot of special. 

 I have this amazing new camera that takes the most amazing photos! Also, I don't know how to use it very well, apparently, because I erased all of the photos that I took of Emmy's birthday. Ahem.

Luckily, my trusty Tess was there with her trusty camera, so a few birthday photos exist!

 Isn't it great that I whine and complain about not having a camera and then I finally get one but I still depend upon Tess to provide me with photos because I'm such a digitally spastic kind of lady who can't figure out how to get photos from a camera to a computer to a blog post without deleting the whole lot of them and who also likes to type run on sentences that make you wonder if it should even be legal for me to write?
What I'm trying to say is Thank You.

 Happy Birthday, number one.

You are quirky and spazzy and strange and creative and brilliant and kind and forgiving and caring and spiritual and artistic and beautiful.

You are different than any one else I've ever known. You don't fit the social norm for seven year old girls. Some people wonder about your sanity, some people are amazed by your brilliance. I am both kinds of people.

You are so much like me, for better or worse. It helps me to understand your quirks, but it makes me want to help you be "better" when I should be overwhelmed by how lucky I am to have you just the way you are. For that, my darling, I'm sorry.

 I am often surprised by how much I love you. When you beg me to sing another song at bedtime, when you ask for just one more chapter of our current novel, when you choose me when you could have someone else, my breath catches and I am reminded of how much I adore you. I feel I should do more to deserve such love from you.

 I am amazed every day that you are mine. Amazed that you are seven years old. Amazed by the workings of your mind.

Thank you for choosing me. I'd choose you every time.

Also, yum.