moonpie's five

today is moonpie's fifth birthday. it seems unreal that she can be that old. yesterday she told me "tomorrow i'm going to be this tall" standing on her toes. she's also been telling me lately that i won't be able to hold her any more, because she'll be too big. little does she know that i'll be like that creepy old lady in love you forever, driving across town, crawling in her window when she's an adult, just to hold her. our little moonpie, called that by her daddy, "because her face is round, like a moonpie", he'd say. seems like every year that little moonpie face is getting slimmer, ushering us toward womanhood.




moonpie is an old soul- an 80 year old woman trapped in the body of a 5 year old. "mama, come outside! the sunset is amazing!" she hollers to me. she teaches me so much. how to appreciate the journey. how to watch out for tiny 'newborn' acorn hats before they are crushed underfoot. she is the ultimate chicken wrangler

and my hero

but most of all, she's my girl. my creative, responsible, book lovin', wiser than her age, girl. and i'd give the moon and and stars for her to know how big my love is for her. that i didn't know how gut wrenching and vulnerable love truly was until the day she was born. she introduced me to that new kind of love- that mama bear love that is so intense it can be frightening.

so here's to you, my little one...happy birthday!