(I tried to post this from my phone earlier since I was in an all day meeting, but it didn't work. So here goes again.)

Dear Sophie.

Eleven years ago today, at 2:26 pm you entered this world. You were blue. Completely like a smurf. The cord had been wrapped around your neck and yeah, you were totally blue. And I wasn't scared until the dude that delivered you, who was um, maybe TWELVE? Completely FREAKED out too. See, you were born in a teaching hospital and therefore they let Doogie Houser deliver you. Luckily the chief of staff was there to calm down the child that delivered you, then calmed down the mama that was all, "Dude!! My daughter is a lovely shade of blueberry, but um, MAKE HER PINK!!" And so they did. And you were fine.

Since your blue birth you have gone on to be the most amazing, stubborn, creative, willful, passionate child ever. You are exactly the child my mother wished me to have. Something about payback she says. You are a child that knows what she wants and will stop at nothing to get it. You will work harder than anyone else when you want something. But if you don't want it, you don't - and that is that. You don't care what others think of you. This quality, is one I hope and pray you have FOREVER. Oh how I wish I had learned this so much earlier in life. Don't get me wrong, you are not in any way a selfish child, you just know what YOU want and could give a rat's butt if someone else doesn't get it. You do. And that's all that matters. I simply ADORE this quality in you. This alone will make your life so much easier and happier than you will realize.

Since you were born you have been my 'chaotic bubble of sunshine' and you still are. You light up a room and light up my heart when you walk in. I adore you more than you will ever know. I learn from you every day. I work hard every day at my art to make sure I can prove to you that passion and hard work ARE enough. Luck helps, but perseverance matters so much MORE. You get excited at all my achievements both large and small. You will probably never know how much that means to me and how the delight in your voice at my latest news makes me float on air. You make me fly, Sophie girl, so very, very high.

Happy Birthday baby girl. You are becoming an amazing young woman, and I truly don't know how I got so lucky to be your mother.

love,
Mama