Eight is great!

Dear Claire,

You turned eight in November. As if just gaining another year wasn't a big enough milestone, you also chose to become a member of The Christ of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints through baptism. This made your birthday extra sweet and punctuated for me, even more, that you are growing up. I keep asking myself if your years are going by too fast and you know what? They aren't. Right from the beginning I have been distinctly in the moment with you. Maybe because you are my first and I became a mother through you and experienced every year of childhood through you, but your days and years have always been new to me. Nothing seems foggy to me. I feel like I can remember even the smallest moments with you with "Claire"-i-ty.

You are for the most part a text book first child. You are conscientious, respectful of authority, a good student, motivated, hesitant in new situations, self-disciplined and you care about the approval of others. That said, you are never domineering which can also be a first-born trait.

You are a leader without even meaning to be. I think others see your quietly confident, unassuming ways and want to be like you. You have a lot of friends in school and are kind to everyone, but you don't like to be the center of attention. I love to see your growing confidence in social situations and attribute much of your growth in this areas to the wonderful teachers you have had in your life in both Primary and at school. They have loved you and have encouraged you to lead.

I love your eight-year-old mind. You pepper me with significant questions all the time. This year while preparing for your baptism your would ask seeking questions about faith, about the purpose of life and how we can find truth. Your questions sometimes took your dad and I off guard because they were things we didn't even think about until we were in our 20's and 30's. I love that you have a questioning mind and know that this attribute can make your faith stronger and your understanding of God's plan deeper.

You have a strong need to be loved by me right now. I see you watch me and try to read how I feel about everything, but especially you. I hope that I show you how much you mean to me. I have to slow down sometimes and just hold you close to me. You can be sensitive and at times tearful. I hope your dad and I are teaching you how to fill your own bucket, to choose happiness, to understand how important you are down deep and not superficially. These are the things a mother of an eight-year-old thinks of, worries about.

At my core though, I know you are always going to be what you are today, because you were just born good. You were just born peaceful. You were just born kind-hearted. My dear, it is a pleasure to be your mother. I love you through and through.

Mom