She is grace. A gift. Gentle and so thoughtful. She loves deeply and compassionately. She is protective and nurturing. She's funny and smart. And she loves to make people laugh. She gets so excited about the little things, that it is always fun to watch her face fill with delight with any surprise. Even if it is just a sandwich cut like a gingerbread man or a wave from teenager that she knows and loves. She's the best gift-receiver that ever lived. She 'ooh's' and 'ahs' over things that are beautiful. And she makes sure you know that she feels grateful and SO lucky to have received your blessing.
It's pretty fun to surprise her.
When she's comfortable and confident in her surroundings, she's goofy and weird and utterly lacks self-awareness...she just dives into whatever play she sees or imagines, and never thinks about how others might perceive her pretend voice or wild chirping sounds or authoritative play directions.
But sometimes, she's painfully shy, completely quiet, deeply sensitive and very attached.
She loves affirmation and safety.
She knows the power of words. She had a pretty big vocabulary before most kids her age could talk. And at six years old, she really loves a great story. In either role (listener or teller), Maya could live in a story all day long. She knows how to use words. (This ability can be used for encouragement, persuasion, anger, manipulation, imagination, storytelling, expressions of love...)
Mostly, she uses her power well.
She's supposed to be in bed, but she came downstairs to use the restroom and wash her hands. She stopped in front of me, stroked my hair away from my face, and kissed my forehead.
I am so grateful.
Happy Sixth Birthday, Maya.
