Dear Elsa,
I know that I have only been your mommy for seven and a half months, but I want to tell you that I love you immensely. The bonds human hearts can form in such a short amount of time are truly mind-blowing. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to experience this human capacity first hand. Our relationship as mother and daughter was not ready-made (who would have expected it to be?), and we both have been working very hard since we became a family in January to learn what it means to be a daughter and a mommy. Sometimes I think the payoff is that much sweeter since we have worked so hard for it. I wear my title of Elsa’s Mommy with pride and enormous joy in my heart.
Don't worry. I know that I am not automatically entitled to be your mommy just because we have been working hard at being a mother and a daughter for a mere eight months. I can’t wait to see how our relationship grows as our years together continue. While I am constantly grateful for the opportunity to raise you and love you, I also will never forget your first mommy. Even though you cannot remember her and I know very little about her, the simple fact remains that without her there would be no you.
Parenting you and Ashagre these past seven and a half months has been one of the hardest things your Daddy and I have ever done, but also one of the most rewarding. Your presence in our lives has caused us to redefine what’s most important and given us greater motivation to make those things central to our family’s life. Watching you experience a whole new world with your bright eyes, a huge nearly ever-present grin, and your spunky enthusiasm has been so much fun. I will always remember the first time you tried soda in Addis Ababa. One small sip and a look of utter disgust instantly washed over your face as you immediately demanded water. To this day you are quick to say “no thank you” to soda and cake and request water instead. For your birthday this year we’ll be having cookies and ice cream instead.
You are so strong and I celebrate your strength daily. From your earliest history you have proven you are a fighter. The strength you carry around in your little body is more than just physical, and I sometimes see a little of myself in you when I watch you parade around school without a care for what others might be thinking or doing. You are not all nails and bravado; however, and it warms me to see you begin to let down your guard from time to time and show the world that you are also a little girl that can get scared and needs comfort and snuggles too. I find it hard not to tear up when you say, “Mommy snuggle” and curl your little body into my lap and arms and bury your head under my chin. I don’t think you’ll fit as perfectly as you do right now for much longer and I want to savor every moment we get together.
Now, at age seven, you are most drawn to music and language. Your ability to instantly learn a new spelling word (in a language you have only heard for eight months) and your desire to read make me so proud. You can literally occupy hours spelling words with the magnetic letters on the refrigerator and just last night you read me your first book, Dogs Don’t Brush Their Teeth, all by yourself. You are moved by music and seemingly would be happy if it was playing every minute of the day. Daddy discovered your appreciation for classic rock while introducing you to Jimi Hendrix on the plane ride home from Ethiopia, and more than one spontaneous dance party has erupted with just one song just remotely on the funky side of things. You love to dance and will do it late into the night if we let you. It was so much fun to take you to see Michael Franti this summer. I can’t believe you got to shake his hand; I hope future concerts won’t be too much of a disappointment. You also love playing with Ashagre, especially when the game at hand is make believe and allows you some leeway to boss him or your sock monkeys around. Despite your tendency to take on the role of the bossy big sister, you also are always the first to compromise and put Ashagre’s wants ahead of your own. Your ability to sacrifice your own desires for the sake of others was demonstrated on one of our first few days together, and remains a central part of who you are. Hands down though, the thing I love most about you is your laugh. When you laugh (and you do it often), you laugh with every cell in your body, generally dropping to the ground and letting the laughter completely overtake you. It is infectious; people can’t help but find themselves laughing right along with you.
Elsa, you are fiery and loving little girl with an energy that captures everyone who meets you. I have had so much fun being your mommy over the past seven and a half months. I can't wait to see what the next year brings. Happy Birthday!
Love,
Mommy
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| Doesn't she look older? |
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