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| Juice! Vivi’s favorite birthday party treat. |
Genevieve is four years old! We made a big birthday breakfast of hot cross buns (I froze some of the dough at Easter), pancakes, bacon, fried eggs, special candied fruits (pineapple and kiwi, yum!), and a coconut. I thought it would be a fun breakfast project to break it open and drink the juice in our morning smoothie.
I love looking back at the birthday letters from years past, so I am continuing the tradition this morning.
Dear Genevieve,
You have grown up so much since last year’s birthday post. You still love to read with me and are a great big sister, but the biggest change I see is that your imagination has burst out on the scene. Playing with you has become so fun because of how you lead the game as opposed to waiting for me to make up the scene. You also adore coloring, and a large part of your spare time is spent creating art work and “writing” scribbled compositions on lined paper.
There are too many wonderful things about you to write them all here, but a few of my favorite of your qualities are your:
:: kindheartedness :: You are good natured and a great sport. You like to play games and include everyone in the fun. You are loving and gentle to your little sister, and she adores you as much as we do.
:: tenacity :: You don’t give up easily when you want your way, but you will go along with most any decision I make so long as it makes sense to you. On the rare occasion you disagree with my decision, I listen well and often find myself changing my mind. You are learning to speak up for yourself and argue your case.
:: joie de vivre :: You pursue the quest for fun in your life with an unparalleled passion and zeal.
:: observation skills :: I can barely make it through a sentence without you asking me what a word or phrase means, and you absorb my explanations like a sponge. I look forward to teaching you at every opportunity because of how much you desire to learn.
:: bravery :: You endured your fingernail injury with such strength and fortitude, I struggled to reconcile the knowledge that you were not yet four with your grown-up demeanor. The hospital staff remarked that you were a favorite patient.
:: creativity :: Your courage extends beyond the scope of injuries to your readiness to take center stage. Your willingness to be silly is admirable! Whether it’s singing in front of your peers or participating in a dance recital, there could be a future for you in the dramatic arts.
:: trusting spirit :: You make new friends in the blink of an eye, and I see in you a genuine belief in the good in others, which I know will serve you well in life.
:: humor :: A touch of levity accompanies most of your conversations with me, and you try out your new jokes on me frequently and always laugh at mine. You are a wonderful companion with which to share a good belly laugh.
I’ve enjoyed our 208 Saturdays together, and I will look forward with great anticipation to the other 732. For now, we are off–to the Public Garden!–to enjoy a rare Monday spent as a family exploring our fine city.
Love, Mommy
p.s. Here’s a video of Vivi explaining why she didn’t follow the rule of not touching her portable DVD player. I never cut off her explanations, but sometimes they are hilariously long and difficult to follow.