Wishing my dragon princess a happy birthday

Today my daughter turned 9 years old.   Somehow 9 seems so much older than 8.  She is my cuddle bug, my angel, my sweet princess.  She is the dream I had and was told would never come true.  She is the girl we were told would never survive full term and would not be born alive.  She is my miracle.  Having her in my life makes thing brighter, funnier and filled with more unicorns and magical dragons than I ever knew existed.

I was never much of a girly girl who played with dolls and Barbies.  I was more into GI Joe and kickball.  She teaches me how to be patient when playing dolls and that Sleeping Beauty was not always an option when playing princesses.  She’s given me a deeper appreciation that the joy of twirling in a new dress can bring.  She’s brought more pink into this home than I ever thought possible and definitely more than I thought I was capable of seeing without losing my mind.  She shows me that girly girl can be fun.  However, she also shows me that princesses can wear tiaras and play in the mud.  That a white dress doesn’t have to stay white if chocolate is involved.  She can rough house with her brothers one minute and snuggle with her Daddy the next.  She is the best of all of us.  She is our dragon full of fire and fight and our princess full of beauty and charm.

Today on her birthday I want to let her know how much she has blessed my life.  I want her to know that every night when she is sleeping I cover her up, brush the hair from her forehead and give her a kiss and thank God that she is mine.   I want her to know that she saved my life by coming into it at just the perfect time when I needed something stronger and deeper than my own will to keep me clean and sober.  I want her to know that every time she laughs, my heart sings.  Every time she cries, my heart breaks.  Every time she takes even the smallest step towards independence, my heart both rejoices and breaks a little.   I want her to know that her dreams are never too big to achieve and her wishes are never too unrealistic to wish them.

But today on her birthday, I will snuggle with her.  I will sing her happy birthday and watch as she blows out her 9 candles.  I will kiss her and tell her I love her and my heart will swell with happiness and pride in my little dragon princess.

Someday she will know all the things I wish she could know about how she blesses me.  But for today, she knows without a doubt that she is loved, cherished and above all the greatest daughter I could ever dream to have.

Happy birthday, my sweet dragon princess.  You are my miracle and you are loved.