To my Sofie on her tenth birthday

TEN?  You can’t possibly be 10?  That is 2 whole hands!  That was a lot of sleeps to finally get to this one precious day of your happy birthday.  I am so very sorry it wasn't as fun today as you wanted and that tomorrow we have to cancel the ten pin bowling but I PROMISE I will make it up to you and we will go later in the holidays.

 

Sofieliscious you were one of the biggest and best surprises of my life.  Spending 9 whole months so convinced you were a boy.  Doing your room up in blue dinosaurs and spending that entire time making the blue bear quilt as we all waited for you to arrive.  And then you did and the first thing I did was raise you up and we were so shocked.  GIRL?!   It’s a little girl?  Rebeka has a sister?  Where is Zack?  Who is this little quiet content brand new person with her large wise eyes? 

When we sent everyone the text to say Sofia Josephine had arrived at 3.9kg everyone was most confused.  I was delighted.  I SO wanted another girl and I really wanted Becks to have a sister.  Daddy and I were crazy about you from minute one and we stay crazy about you still.  If I had to think of a recipe that showed who you were I would say a fillet steak with chocolate chilli sauce.  You really do get something like that and it’s this fascinating blend of different ingredients that somehow all work and are unique and delicious.  Unique means only one exists.  There is only one Sofia Josephine Novitzkas.   You are so brave and I know your tummy gets sore because you find things scary or they worry you or make you feel yucky.  You do them anyway, you take a deep breath and you dive off that block and swim, swim, swim.  Or you get up on the stage all alone and sing in a voice that makes everyone in the room absolutely silent.   God has given you many talents and you are a lucky girl.  We stay grateful to Him every day for your healthy strong body and your beautiful singing voice.  For your super flexible body unlike the rest of us stick figures.  

I know school hasn’t been easy for you and you get stressed.  I also know some of the girls can be so ugly.  Don’t be ugly back.  I know it is very, very hard and it is natural to be mean back but you will see that some people are just ugly inside.  Even Mom and Mimi and Aunty Tertia and Aunty Nina have to deal with mean people.   I always think something in their heart must be broken to make them so unkind.  People get jealous or insecure.  Insecure means they feel like they are not good enough and they don’t like the fact you might be better than them at some stuff so they try and make you feel horrible about yourself.  And remember not to be nasty to others or think you are better because you have a gift they don’t.   God made us all different; it is what makes life interesting.    Even dogs have different personalities! 

Well done on your school report!  I told you it would be fine and you did better than fine.  I am so proud of you because I know it was hard and you were tired from Annie shows.  When I watched you on stage I just wanted to cry.  My little girl, my Sofie, Blicksie, Fifi girl singing and dancing like that.  Well done my amazing actress.  None of us can do what you do in this family and we are all beyond proud of you.  Sofia I cannot tell you how much I love you because words are not big enough for the feeling in my chest.  I know you get this because your chest is also bursting with love for us too.  You leave me breathless.   I am your biggest fan and your cheerleader and I will support you in whatever you want to do in your life.  We don’t know what that is yet but I know you are someone.  Even now when we walk through the mall and you are all dressed up you turn heads.  You have swag my Sofieliscious and I am excited to see where life takes you.  Happy Birthday my gorgeous!