Bon's Sixth Birthday

My Darling Bon,

My Bee Bee Girl, Bonzo Bean, Bon Bon - today you woke up bright eyed, full of life, and all of six years old.

You have been talking about this weekend for months and months and months. Not only planning your birthday party down to the tiniest detail but also telling us everything you will do and will be when you are six. You are looking forward to this year with enthusiasm and limitless optimism... which shouldn't be a surprise as that is how you approach most things in your life. You plan on riding all the big rides at Disney World, convincing us you can use your booster seat whenever you want (nice try), and conquering first grade. You tell me that you are six now so you are just going to do "all the things that six year olds do!"

I look back at five with so much fondness in my heart. Of course, I see your baby pictures and my chest clinches with the amazement of how fast these years are going and my arms ache to hold your little baby body, but five was such a joy. Just like every year before it, I liked it more than the last. Maybe it is because with each passing year you have become more uniquely Bonnie.

You have always been perfectly and wonderfully Bonnie, but as you grow so does your personality. This year, you found a passion and love for science. Almost every other sentence out of your mouth started with "MOMMA. I have to tell you something you won't believe." All the fruit in our house was routinely sacrificed in the name of science, our fridge filling up with bottles of floating berries in different liquids just to see what would happen. (Spoiler alert: Baby K will pour them on the floor. Every. Time.) You described volcanoes and stars and rain forests with your precious green eyes the size of saucers. Your passion and excitement was even enough to pull this science-phobic English major into the mix (sometimes).

Your reading is flourishing and you take pride in reading to your brother and sister now - even if K drives you crazy by repeating every word you say and Buddy's main focus is to eat the book. You loved kindergarten and left each day with such joy - ready to learn and play with friends. You learned knock knock jokes and created your own, sometimes laughing so hard before you even got to the punch line that the punch line was never even told.

You took on your role as big sister x 2 with such grace. Consistently this year you were told to please wait or please be quiet or please grab a diaper or we just can't do that with the new baby and each time you smiled that radiant smile of yours and told me "That's okay, Mommy - we can think of something else fun to do!" You shared with your brother and sister - even your birthday gifts today - always ensuring everyone feels included and valued. You brag about the littles whenever you can to anyone who will listen - the Kroger baggers are especially well versed in the "is Buddy walking or not" saga.

You had your sweet little heart broken a few times this year and bounced back each time - ready to keep on being you by loving and encouraging those around you. You worked on conquering fears and expressing your needs and speaking up for yourself when sometimes it seemed hard.

You grew before our eyes - each day more fun and full of adventure with your spirit and imagination leading the way. From moment to moment, I never know if we are going to be police detectives, puppy dogs, or mermaids. Though sometimes you love to play family  - like "Pretend you are a momma cooking us breakfast and we are your three kids" - while that is literally what is happening and I feel like I am entering some sort of trap.

You learned the "Good Ole Song," served as a flower girl, sold Girl Scout cookies, had sleepovers, and performed in a school play representing Virginia. You spoke with such pose and maturity sometimes that I thought I was looking at 15 year old Bonnie. Then, in the next moment, you would tell me you needed to hold my hand or "snuggle-bug" and the little girl in you would come rushing back.

Yes, five was a beautiful, hilarious, magical year. So much of this past year I want to bottle up and keep close to me always - especially your kind heart and zeal for life. And I look at you and think of your great-grandmother for whom you are named - and I see you living up to her legacy of family first and how fun she was said to be. And each day you look a little bit more like your grandmother - enough so that no visit home is complete without at least five people staring at you in awe and telling you that you are her spitting image. Your facial expressions have even begun to mimic her's, though you most take after her with your love of hosting a good party.

So we hit six with such anticipation and excitement for who you are and who you still will grow to be. And I pray that you always keep that deep belly laugh, endless love of life, compassionate heart, and strong belief that anything is possible. Love you my Bonnie girl. Here is to more Hamilton singalongs, impromptu experiments, crafts, snuggles, fashion shows, and days just lucky to be your momma.

xoxoxo