On your sixth birthday

Dear Scarlett,

You ushered in your sixth year in whirlwind fashion.  On Friday, you had brunch with the grown-ups- me and Aunt Sally and your grandparents- out at a fancy restaurant while the other kids were at school.  You sat in the booth next to Grandma and giggled a lot.  In the afternoon, you and Hope and Esther decorated cupcakes for your Saturday morning birthday party:

Saturday was a pool party, which you've always wanted. It was fun and pretty exhausting, and we ate the cupcakes and swam for longer than ever before. 

Your cousins stayed the night and- I will tell you this when you're older- Hope stayed up late late late playing board games with Grandma and your dad and me.

On your actual birthday, Sunday, we tried to go bowling but the alley was packed.  We took you to pick out a beta fish, you've named him Shine Shimmery Dickerson, and we've been calling him Shine or Shiny.  You told him he's beautiful.  At the pet store, you just stared at him in his little jar, like you were falling in love.  You had the same look on your face when we set up your tadpoles a few years ago.  I asked why you want a fish and you just said they're beautiful and you love your fish at school.  You are excited to feed your fish every day, instead of sharing the responsibilities with 23 other kids.  Then we had sushi and banana splits and said goodbye to your grandparents, who were heading back to Chicago in the early hours of the morning.

And because you're fortunate to have a holiday weekend birthday, we had another day of fun on Monday with a trip to the wave pool, and more sushi dinner.  It was a weekend of all your favorite things.  But you are my favorite thing, and I'm so happy to see you enjoying life the way you do.  You are sweet and gentle and silly and clumsy and happy. Daddy and I love you more than I could ever explain.

Happy birthday my dearest dear.
Love, your mama