An Open Letter to My Daughter

The moment I found out you were a girl (though I had my intuition all along), I knew you were going to be a special one. That isn't to say your brothers rank less than you, but you have something that oozes out of you as a female that is not only rare, but amazing to watch.

 While I remember my dear friend Jenna asking me at that moment, "Will she be as crazy as us?" Oh, I knew any female born with my genetics was going to be a force to deal with. Sugar and Spice and everything nice right?  Wrong! Spark and Spunk and everything wild.  At just 6 years old, I see more personality in you than I see in many grown women my age.  For that, I write you this letter.

At just 6 years old your favorite things include adventure, speed, fighting, strength (your favorite pose flexing your muscles), and "beating" your opponent.  Your range of activities go from zero to 100.  It has occurred to me that you are just one big ball of spark, fun, and excitement or as others put it "good luck when she is a teenager". Strong willed you are, but I never want you to lose it. Unconventional you are, but that is not to be confused with "weird" or "irregular". You my darling are just different in a way that will only inspire others to question why they have been living inside their shell, box, or why they aren't daring to be different themselves. You bring out the best in all those lucky to be around you.

 While you love to care for animals, perform, and draw pictures. I see from that you possess this natural talent of being confident, self-aware, and true to your own desires. It is probably something you never even realize or notice, because it is just who you are. You have this "Je Nais Se Quoi" about you that makes you atypical like a Mac in a room full of PC's. You have managed to be yourself and stand out in a world that is dying to make you fit in. My girl you take Boss lady to a whole different level.

When I went to pick you up last week you built a house that was standing alone out of marshmallows and not one other single child in the class managed to even connect their marshmallows to make them stand to do anything.  Maybe it was all the Lego's you played with as a tot with your brother. Maybe it is because you have a knack for working with your hands. Maybe you are meant to be an architect or builder. Those moments and many others show me that your out of the box connection and creativity is really amazing.  I never want you to lose it.    In some literary comparison you remind me of Juliet from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. My favorite line from that play is when Juliet says to her mother, "Tis an honor I dream not of." When discussing marriage, she was only 13 and was so self assured that she was fine with turning down the idea of marriage.  In a time when women ONLY aspired for marriage, she was confident and secure enough to decide, that marriage was not the honor she wanted. That reminds me of you, so confident and secure you do what makes you happy and not what society has deemed makes everyone else happy.

  While 100 other girls are drooling for Disney Princesses and ballet bags there is 1 Mailee dressed in a spy suit dying to be a ninja.  I see you following your hearts desires no matter what.  Perhaps a traveling artist, a veterinarian, a corporate CEO, or maybe even an architect.  Your confidence exudes from rocking a fearless "faux hawk" for crazy hair day, breakdancing to "Little Sally Walker", playing Ninja Turtles with the boys, dying to beat the pants off Caleb in Madden, being Sonic the Hedgehog for Halloween, correcting others when they are wrong, or torturing your brother as you "doctor" him. I see it now girls envy you as they simultaneously giggle and cheer you on, and the boys are so intrigued by your type they pick you first on their team (knowing you will do what it takes to win).

I hope you continue to breakdance when it calls for a sweet skip, I hope you catch the ball and throw it back to the boys when they think you will toss it sweetly, I  hope you turn down the big frilly prom dress for a sleek modern bodysuit, I hope you continue to defy the expectations and roles for your gender because you're a diamond in the rough.  Beware that conformity is what people will try to push on you from here on out. 

Above all, I hope you know you make me proud beyond your 6 years.  I want you to know that before I had a daughter I could only dream about a fictional character as my favorite heroine, now I wake up to her everyday. <3

her·o·ine

ˈherəwən/

noun

noun: heroine; plural noun: heroines

1. 
   

   a female admired or idealized for her courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.