Twenty-One!!
My Sunshine Girl. My Mini-Me. When I picture you as a toddler, the very first thing that comes to mind is your scrunchy-face smile and a wild single-mindedness to DO IT YOURSELF. The impressive, self-driven determination you have now, showed up early. You reached milestones quickly, not because you were rushed, but because you decided you WANTED TO. You were a beautiful baby who quickly developed a fun-loving, silly spirit who always wanted to match whatever your big sister was doing. You loved music and danced constantly, your curly blonde hair always a little crazy because you refused to let anyone help brush or style it.
A few more things that make you you have been there from the very beginning, as well.
Your love of order and organization has always been part of you. As a little girl, you could happily spend hours washing your My Little Ponies in Wyatt's baby bathtub filled with soapy water. Your dollhouse furniture had to be just so, and once everything was perfect, you ask for my camera to photograph it. Teachers told me you’d come back to the classroom during recess to see if you could organize the bookshelves or arrange the crayons in ROYGBIV order. You shared a room with your sister your entire childhood, and while her side was joyful chaos, yours was always spotless. You've been known to stay up after Megan went to bed and quietly clean her side too. To this day, when you come home, I know you can’t truly settle until your space feels calm and ordered, so I try to make sure it’s ready for you.
Then there is your fashion. You have always been iconic and were an OG selfie taker! From day dot, you have loved accessories, makeup, jewelry, shoes, doing your hair and painting your nails. After your very first day of kindergarten, when I asked if you liked your teacher, you told me, “I love her! She has fringe boots and lots of mascara.” Once you returned from washing your little hands at Grammie Susan's house and complimented her on new the hand towels in her front bathroom - the details have always mattered to you. But apparently not when it comes to velour track pants! Cause you wore those beloved "brown pants" for several months straight. Under dresses, with shorts, over bathing suits, to church, to the park. I would secretly wash them at night so you could wear them again the next day. You're still the one we all look to for style advice. I rarely pack for a trip, dress for an event or shop for a new top without first checking in with our shared "Sisters" text thread between Aunt Kate, me, Megan and you.
And of course…I can't forget your purse. You carried a purse everywhere. To the park. Around the house. Even into the ocean at the beach! A favorite one was hot pink with silver rhinestones, you would fill with scraps of paper you called your “checks and tickets,” which you generously offered to everyone you met. There are photos of you standing on a chair at the kitchen counter making your own turkey sandwich...purse on your arm! Once, while playing outside, you looked at me with genuine concern and said, “Mom, I just looked at my arm because I felt my purse… but it’s not there. That’s so weird?” It was like a phantom limb! It had become a part of you. Hence why it's such a thrill to gift you fancy ones now that you're older.
Finally, and maybe most beautifully, your empathy also showed up early. You could never stand to see either of your siblings sad or in pain. You wanted to help fix it for them right away. And whenever you'd receive an award or a treat, you always wanted to share it with them. You were the child who noticed who was sitting alone on the playground and made space for them. I’ll never forget when your first-grade teacher told me she intentionally seated a struggling boy next to you because she knew you would help him - gently, patiently, without judgment or teasing. And you did, eagerly. The Superlative you won your senior year of high school was "Friendliest." Your instinct to include, befriend and offer kindness has only grown deeper with time.
At 21, you are still one of the most empathetic people I know. You are always thinking about others, making sure they are supported and seen by planning parties and celebrating milestones with passion and flair. You cook for your roommates, nourishing both bodies and relationships, happily preparing meals as long as they keep you company at the counter! That caretaker energy has always lived at your core. Now it gets to shine so clearly in the way you love the three little children you nanny for, who absolutely adore you.
While there is a part of me that can't believe you are turning 21, (I am nothing if not nostalgic about my children's childhoods) I am not sad. This next chapter in your life makes me excited! Because everything about who you are becoming feels reassuring. You face challenges head-on. You make plans and follow through. You care deeply about your growth - physically, mentally, emotionally - and you manage your life with intention and responsibility. You are independent, competent, and grounded in a way that brings more joy and peace to my Mama heart than you’ll ever know.
As you’ve grown into adulthood, we are no longer just mother and daughter - we have become friends, equals, and confidantes in many ways. Over the past couple years, witnessing you advocate for yourself, speak honestly about your needs, and courageously own your path has changed me as well. Your strength and vulnerability gave me permission to look at my own life differently - to grow, to heal, to simplify, and to show up more fully for myself. You may not realize it, but you’ve helped shape the woman I am becoming in this season too.
So...I FLOVE this phase! Getting to share womanhood with you, watching you live with conviction, independence, and purpose. I used to joke that you could have moved out as a pre-teen and been just fine… and I wasn’t wrong. But no matter how capable you are (and you are incredibly capable), I hope you always know you can come home - for a good meal, a safe place to land, or simply to be held - literally and figuratively!
As you step into 21, my wish for you is that you never question your worth. I hope you always know how deeply beautiful you are, inside and out. I hope you trust your instincts, stand firm in your convictions, and remember that you have a Mama so wildly obsessed with you, her love for you could only ever be matched by her desire for your inner peace and happiness. I am so excited to cheer you on and witness what you make happen next.
Happy 21st Birthday, Molly Katherine
Love always,
Mom
P.S. - I CAN'T WAIT TO TOUCH DOWN IN MUSIC CITY, USA NEXT WEEKEND and celebrate this milestone with you in true Nashville style. Time for this middle-aged Mama to locate my "rally boots"!
And THANK YOU for continuing to include me in ways you know I enjoy and WANT, when I can't be there with you in person. Like when you reach out for help planning your birthday party - even if it makes my FOMO better and worse at the same time!! Lol. I will always paint your posters <3
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