My Dear Sweet Maya,
Happy Happy Birthday my sweet girl! I can’t believe you would have turned 2 years old today! Sometimes it feels like just yesterday and other times it feels like an eternity. I imagine you’d wake up super excited to celebrate and spend the day with Mommy, Daddy, and your baby brother. At this point you would have understood how special your birthday is and we would have made sure to say Happy Birthday as many times as possible throughout the day.
I’ve been dreaming of what you’d be like now. I imagine you’d have tons of energy and love to run and play. We’d go to the playground every day so that you could run around and go on the swings. I imagine you’d be quite the girly girl just like your Mama. You’d love pink and dolls and getting your hair done. Your hair! I bet it would be down past your shoulders now and super curly – just like Mommy’s was when she was little. I imagine you’d love to talk and tell stories and ask questions. I imagine you’d love books and being read to every night. I bet by now you’d take the book and “read” it yourself. I imagine you’d love arts and crafts and would always want to do a new project or just sit and color. You’d love listening to showtunes with Mommy and going bowling with Daddy. You’d love life and be a happy little girl.
I imagine you’d be an amazing big sister to Oliver. You’d want to help Mommy whenever you could. You’d help me pick out his clothes and make him smile and laugh. You’d talk to him whenever you had the opportunity. You’d share your toys and books. He would be smitten with you – watching you play and listening to you talk. I know you are here with us. I know you are proud of how your Mommy and Daddy are raising your little brother. I know you are looking down on him and smiling. He already knows who you are. We tell Oliver about you all the time and he looks at your pictures on the wall.
Today we will go to the aquarium. I imagine if you were here that’s how we would spend the day. We decided to use your birthday as an opportunity to make memories for ourselves and for your younger siblings. We think that’s what you’d want us to do. We miss you so much Maya. We want so badly to know what life would be like with you here with us. We want to know how well you and Oliver would have gotten along. We spend our days with Oliver wondering if you would have been just as easy and happy as he is… we think you would have.
Through the sadness, we are comforted with the knowledge that your little life continues to matter. We are so much better parents because of you. We soak up every ounce of joy that we have with each other and with your baby brother. We appreciate the small, quiet moments. I thank you every day for teaching me just how precious life is. Your life continues to matter to those around us too. We share your story and people remember you. We talk about your life openly and people learn that time with our loved ones is a gift that can be taken at any moment so enjoy every second. You are so loved. Your life continues to matter and your legacy lives on in us and in your baby brother.
Mommy and Daddy love you so much Maya. We miss you terribly. We are comforted knowing that you are here with us and are proud of how far we have come in two years. We are able to live joyfully and spread happiness through memories of you. We have brought meaning to your life and will continue to share what you have taught us.
Happy Happy Birthday my sweet girl. I miss you and love you always always always and forever.
Love,
Mommy
