Sweet Kaya Rose,

You are an incredibly precious gift to all of us. It was always hard for me to imagine being a mom before you were here, but even if I had tried to picture you, my first child, there is no way I could have known what a wonderful, beautiful little spirit you would be. You are so caring, loving, and the best helper a mother could ever want. I still get incredibly sentimental about your birthday and remembering the moment you made me a mom for the very first time.

Sometimes I still want to hold you and snuggle you like when you were a little baby. You love to be cuddled and held and give hugs and kisses all the time. You’re getting so tall (3 feet 11.5 inches!), but even if I have to look up to hug you one day, I’ll never stop seeing you as my little girl.

Homeschool is your favorite (not that we know anything different)! You always tell me you want to do homeschool forever. You are dedicated to doing our daily amount of work and always try your hardest. You’re really smart, but I think you’re especially gifted at language arts. You read so so well and it’s hard to find words you can’t figure out.

Calico Critters are your favorite toys, and you play with them almost all day long most days. You love them so much because you absolutely cherish the idea of families and being together, and the storylines you play usually involve them taking care of their babies, going on family trips, or playing in their yards. You set up their homes with precision each time you play, much like I used to with my own toys as a child.

Daddy is your rock. He knows how to calm you down when you get overwhelmed and talk you through your emotions. You really have a hard time when he has to go on trips because you miss him so very much.

You love order and routine. Our days run the most smoothly when you know what to expect, so I will always talk about the schedule with you in advance.

You are the best oldest sister and love helping your little sisters all the time. They sure do look up to you.

You still love your plush Kitty, or “Meowy”, and he goes everywhere with you all the time. You were surprised when I mentioned one day not long ago that if you went to public school, Meowy would have to stay home. That made you very sad. You are still our “crazy cat lady”, that’s for sure! I wish we could give you a real cat, but with your Dad and me being allergic, it wouldn’t work out so well.

You love animals so much in general. You ask to hold Freyja and Claire every time you see them and love giving them carrots and cucumbers as treats. You love to bring them outside so we can all sit in the grass and watch them eat.

You are one of the most empathetic people I’ve ever met. You cry reading a sad story or watching a movie where the characters are sad or in danger. We read a nonfiction piece about Daddy Longlegs last week, and you sobbed and sobbed when you found out that their legs don’t grow back if they come off. I love that you care so much.

You are athletic. I feel like it’s just a part of who you are- you love to move! You’ve watched me run all your life, so that’s what you’re most interested in now. You have run with me for about a mile or so, and I have to say, I think you’re really fast for a 7-year-old. You’ve done two official Kid Runs, and you’re so proud of your medals. You generally just love exercise, whether it’s going out on a walk (and you love to hold Scout’s leash), swinging across all the monkey bars, or riding your bike. You are so happy that we finally got you a big bike. Soon, we’ll have to teach you to ride without the training wheels.

You love giving and getting gifts; it’s most definitely one of your love languages. You bought me slippers for my birthday with your own allowance. Those are my favorite slippers ever, just because they are from you.

You love to take photos and you’re giving me some competition these days, especially at your sisters’ birthday parties. You love looking at your pictures and videos and reliving the memories that go with them.

You have lost basically one thousand teeth. OKAY, so SIX! Because I am a couple weeks late on this, I just have to clarify that one of them has fallen out between your birthday and now. The first two that were lost seemed to take their time, but these last four have come out in pairs. You have two big gaps in your smile, and the other new teeth are still coming in.

You are diligent in doing your chores each day. You love checking off your chore chart and telling me how many “tickets” (points) you earn at the end of the week. You’re an amazing clean-up helper, and because you know I love a tidy house so much, you often try to bribe me to let you stay up during rest time by telling me you’ll help do extra cleaning. Silly, but you know me well! Lately, you love saving up your tickets so you can buy Beanie Babies when we go to the craft store.

We still have a “nap time”, but it’s really turned into “rest time” for you.

You love coloring and drawing and make things every single day. You always surprise me with what you can come up with. Your writing has really taken off, and I love seeing what stories you create. It’s fun to get a little glimpse into your mind.

Kaya, you and I have something a little extra-special between us, and that’s how our brains work. We think in the same way. We’re both shy and sensitive, and we often struggle in social situations. It can be really hard for me to watch you face some of the same challenges I have had all my life, but I want you to know that you are stronger than you know. We might think a little differently, but along with that come some amazing talents and abilities. I love you so much, and I’m always here for you.

Love, Mommy

I also wanted to make a quick list of your favorite things, according to you:
Food: Spaghetti
Colors: Purple and pink
Book: Scrawny Cat
Show: Tumble Leaf
Movie: Jingle the Christmas Pup
Animals: Zebra and Horses
Toys: Bootsie (the cat) and Calico Critters
Outside Activity: Riding bikes
Place to go: Red Robin
What do you want to be when you grow up?: A builder and a veterinarian. Then, a mommy.
How many kids do you want to have?: 14
What makes you happy?: Snuggling with mama and reading Alice in Wonderland.