Tess,

Someday when you’re grown, I hope you’re memories about your sixth birthday are fuzzy.  In the best possible way, of course.

I hope you remember waking up to a sparkling princess dress that I stayed up until 4:30 am making for you because I love you and wanted you to have a surprise for you first thing.  I hope you remember a fancy hairdo and glitter hairspray.  Remember tearing open Nana Mickey’s card and frozen yogurt for lunch.  I hope you remember that we went to Mass and then up to Skyline to watch the sun set because that was your request. Remember the treasure hunt for presents that you mastered and the golden packages your brother’s threw together lovingly wrapped for you.  Remember that you had a cake with a horse under the sparklers and that we watched National Velvet until you couldn’t keep your eyes open.

I also hope you will forget we were supposed to be in California on your birthday.  That you won’t remember the packing and last minute, thrown together extravaganza because being home hadn’t been in the plan.  I hope you’ll forget that dinner was frozen corn dogs and fries and that the cake was rather lack luster.  Forget that it was just us and the downstairs wasn’t decorated and the movie started at 10. Forget that we didn’t get to watch the end of the movie and that while we promised you we would the next day, it still hasn’t happened.

The fact that your birthday wasn’t what any of us had in mind is a bummer, but regardless, you turned six.

6!!!!

It doesn’t matter how many times I say it, I can’t believe it.  Six. Wow.

And whatever memories go or stay, never, ever forget that we love you.  Yesterday, today, tomorrow, no-matter-what, we love you.

Happy birthday my brown  eyed girl.  Here’s to many more (and better!) birthdays.