Happy 6 to our resident Main Character! This year has been so transformational for you in so many ways, and your personality has come center stage. I always tell people that I’m not sure whether you’re turning 6 or 46, and to be honest, I don’t think you’re sure either. In so many ways, you’re like a mini, independent adult. You HATE having to ask for help, you have such a clear sense of who you are and what you like, an even clearer idea of what you DON’T like, and you waste absolutely no time in communicating that to the rest of us

I tell people that you are both my most challenging and my most inspiring child, and I hope that you really hear that last part.  Mateo, your mind is awe-inspiringly beautiful. The way you create, the wordsmith that you are, the emotional intelligence, the challenges you take on, the swiftness with which you scale challenges of the mind and spirit…I couldn’t imagine what I would be capable of if I had a sliver of it myself. The gift it is to watch you navigate the world and process it, is one of the greatest gifts of my lifetime. I hope I’m giving you the childhood your mind deserves, and I do find myself wondering daily what you’ll create in your lifetime.

But, perhaps less immediately obvious (though equally strong) is the huge and tender heart you have. You are so empathetic and attuned to other people’s internal worlds. The way you love your family and friends, the way you hold space in your friendships, the genuine concern you show when people are hurt or sick…it makes me realize that tenderness and the sharpest of wits can be two sides of the same coin. I’ll never forget you running TO somebody who is injured, even at this young age, and giving all of yourself to a solution. We call you Dr. Martino at home because you are the first one to grab a bandaid, offer a helping hand, and walk directly towards a situation that would make others run away. I remember cutting my foot badly this year, and you knelt down, with one hand on mine, the other under my foot, and as you inspected my wound, you simply said: “don’t worry, Mama, we’re going to figure this out.” How is a child so young so unafraid?

I sometimes think of you as the Yin to my Yang, my better half, the version of me who could have been. But you are so much better than me in so many ways. I wish I could have had the version of myself that you have so easily mastered, and I thank you endlessly for letting me bear witness to it. Even as your stubbornness, your drive, your insistence, and your singularity can drive me SO crazy at times, all of those parts of you existing with complete purity also HEALS me. And when, at the end of the day, you finally slow down enough to snuggle up next to me and let me bring you back into your Little Boy energy, I think to myself how lucky I was that your soul found its way to this family.  What would our family be without you?

Marlowe and I love to joke about the fact that you are the absolute HARDEST person to stay mad at in the entirety of the world. This is something I am sure will never change. Your huge eyes, your impish grin, and the goofy joy you bring to every room can cause widespread amnesia…even for battles fought moments before. You are both the thunderstorm and the rainbow.  My baby, my rumbling earth, my glowing moon, my shooting star….I LOVE YOU.  Wishing you every sparkle of starlight’s adventure, the joy of the trajectory, and the softest landing we can provide when you descend. 

Yours Always, 

Mama