Our Crooked Branch: An open letter to my daughter, Addison

Dear Addison,

You, my sweet first-born child, are the apple of my eye. You are so sweet, so caring, so charming, so spunky, so crazy…. Daily I have some hysterical story to relay about something you did or said, and I never get tired of repeating those stories. Sometimes it’s something as random as a new best friend (who happens to be a rock) or insisting on bringing your rocking horse everywhere with you… But it’s always very funny (and quite often embarrassing).

You are such a sweetheart. You are also getting smarter by the hour and regularly make me sweat when I realize how fast you are catching on to things. This past week you, while trying to get me to play house instead of folding laundry, said, “Mommy, say yes or no.” When I said YES, you said, “OK, Mommy, YES I will play house with you.” When I asked what you’d say if I said NO, without missing a beat you said, “No Mommy you cannot finish the laundry.” Your mind works so quickly that Daddy and I regularly stare at each other in awe at how intelligent you are.

You are also the most loving big sister to your sister, Sami. Of course Sam will be well equipped to wrestle in the WWF by the time she’s two, but that’s OK. You always body slam her with love. And she loves you right back.

You make friends easily and warm up to strangers very quickly. Within five minutes of being somewhere new you’ve already scoped out the bathroom and pantry and are on your way to getting a free sticker or snack out of the deal. And people love you right back. Maybe it’s the very honest way you tell them, “That’s my baby sister Sami!” or “Hey, my mom says my feet smell really bad!” to the Starbucks lady… whatever it is, I wish I could capture it and sell it in a bottle to unfortunately shy kids everywhere.

You love to read books and within one or two times can recite them word for word. And insist on book after book before bed because you don’t want to be alone.

You love for me to take your picture doing silly things. And you very much dislike wearing pants.

You are a great caretaker of our whole family. You hug and kiss Smokey goodbye each morning and take great care of Daddy when he’s sick. You even cover him up with towels to make sure he’s nice and warm.

You have your own sense of fashion and when I remind you that people might make fun of you for wearing Christmas PJs at Panera while obviously ordering Halloween cookies, not only do you wear those jammies with pride you also make sure the person taking our order has commented on them too.

You seem to be almost morbidly curious with death… to the point where the other day you pretended you were ran over with a bike and were laying dead in the hall. It has made me wonder many times if you really understand the concept, but then you will say something so intuitive that it really takes my breath away. You'll ask about Grandma in heaven and wonder if she’s rocking babies, or what she might be doing, and say you miss her even though you’ve never met her. She would love you so much and you would adore her right back.