She's Eight

Dear Lucy,

In keeping with looking up the meaning behind the number you’re turning, I should not be surprised at the uncanny alignment; how appropriate that the number eight encompasses virtues like inner wisdom, inner strength, and self-confidence. These are all traits of which you have in abundance.

It has been quite the year. We are still living in / through / a pandemic. There was a brief downturn in cases, a vaccine was approved; both Daddy and I got our doses, thankfully. Just around the time of our vaccinations, the Delta variant appeared in March of 2021. Currently, Pfizer, is on the docket for approval of the vaccine for kids as young as five. 

Beyond the trappings and what has become an odd normalcy of living in a pandemic, for you, most notably, included the successful completion of the entirety of first grade via virtual learning. You were fortunate in that your Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. R., was able to loop with your class from Kindergarten. Having a teacher with which you were already comfortable, helped significantly. The other big factor was Daddy. He quit his job to stay home to get you through the whole school year. You both had your good and bad days, but in the end, I saw how this time together changed your relationship for the better. You and Daddy are much closer now, and it’s a beautiful bond to see. It’s clear how much you love each other. When second grade started, there were some jitters, as it had been since March of 2020 when you last step foot both on a school bus or in a brick-and-mortar classroom. Thankfully, once again, you were fortunate enough to land an incredible teacher – Mrs. C. She has been nothing short of wonderful, and you delight being in her classroom; she has said as much that she feels similarly having you as a student. Just a few years in this building, and so many adults know who you are, and smile brightly at your presence – we saw it firsthand when we attended your Back-to-School night.

After the stilted summer of 2020, this past summer was heaps of fun. We were able to go on a few adventures and get out of town, as well as host some visitors. We spent two weeks, you and I, in California. While there, we were fortunate enough to attend Aunt Shannon and Uncle Mike’s long-awaited baby shower. You were Aunt Shannon’s helper, passing out party favors to the guests who drove up, as it was a drive-by shower, given the precautions required in a pandemic (which continues, unfortunately). While in California, we also took a mini vacation with the family to Palm Springs. It was HOT, but you never complained, just happy to spend the hours away in the pool. The final highlight of our trip to California was the movie you began filming with Uncle Mike. A horror one to boot! It was both an eye-opening and unforgettable experience.

We also took an amazing family vacation in Michigan. None of us were prepared for how beautiful it is there; lakes Michigan and Huron were stunning with clear waters that looked as if they were straight out of the Caribbean. We hiked, we canoed, we kayaked, and we paddle boated. It was an awesome time, to say the least.

Singing and dancing remain a staple of yours, and we outfitted you with your own Spotify account, and you have made tremendous use of it, discovering new music, and surprising us with how many songs you know. One of the musical highlights for you this year was your first concert. Grandma took you to see the KISS tribute band, Mr. Speed. According to Grandma, you sang along with every song played, and when you got to meet the band during the “Meet & Greet” after the show, they both complimented your look (pleather pants and jacket and a bedazzled KISS mask) and gave you a fist-bump.

You are physically growing, growing, growing. All legs! Currently you stand at 4' 5", which is a whole three inches since your seventh birthday. Currently, your aspirations include being a singer, a model, a YouTuber, possibly a writer/director, or maybe hair and makeup. This past year your reading skills have exploded and to date, you have read two Dog Man books. Our roles have flipped, and you now read to me in the evenings, which is lovely for the both of us. "The Amazing World of Gumball" is still your go-to show. You are slowly becoming more adventurous with food, showing a willingness to try things that previously, you’d quickly dismiss. This summer you conquered your fear of jumping into the deep end of the pool, and I now feel confident in your ability to be safe around deep waters. You have a lovely circle of friends, and it never fails that wherever we go, you quickly find someone to play with.

Lucy, you make an impression on everyone you meet. I say this all the time and stand by it: you are so deeply self-aware with an uncanny ability to articulate your thoughts. You are in tune with the world around you, observing the nuance in both people and situations. Your heart is one of the biggest spaces you occupy, and the kindness you exude is limitless. You have mentioned to me, on more than one occasion, that you’d like to foster and adopt older children because you know that babies are more desirable, and you want older kids to feel love and acceptance. Your personality often shines through your fashion choices, of which you are fiercely unapologetic. For this year’s birthday photos, you decided to style yourself in a suit. In support of this decision, I sourced a suit and had Nana’s help in altering the pants, because suits tailored for girls are impossible to find. When we were out and about that morning, several folks passed by us, and all of them complimented you on your look which was stunning, fierce, and beautifully sweet. The camera never lies, and you posed yourself, owning and rocking that suit like a pro with the confidence of someone who has lived beyond just eight years. Conventionality has no hold over you, and I reminded of a passage in a beloved story. In the sequel to The Wizard of Oz, known as The Marvelous Land of Oz, L. Frank Baum writes: “That proves you are unusual,” returned the Scarecrow; “and I am convinced that the only people worthy of consideration in this world are the unusual ones. For the common folks are like leaves of a tree, and live and die unnoticed.”

In response to me saying something about how lucky I was to be your Mama, when you were just three, or perhaps it was when you were four, you responded with complete conviction: But I chose you. I picked you. Aside from the eerie sincerity of this celestial kind of declaration, to this day, I’m not sure what I have done in this lifetime of mine to deserve such a magical human to mother. But every day – even the difficult ones – I am grateful for your existence.

You are, unequivocally, noticed and loved by all you meet. What you’re destined for, I have no idea; and let me be clear – I am not holding my breath for something out of this world. You are to be exactly whomever you want. If that’s keeping a low-key life, then so be it. Whatever it is you will do, no matter what form it takes, no matter who you evolve into – you will no doubt leave an impact on the lives you encounter. I have seen it already.

The world is your red carpet, kid.

Happy eighth birthday, my sweet Lucille,

Love, Mama