Letter to my niece on her sixth birthday

January 1/18/23

Dear Amelia,

Every January I think, “Amelia has another birthday this month,” and then I start wondering if someone who has been a big girl for so long becomes a bigger girl every year or if it’s just your age that changes once you’re big.

Hmmm. I’ll have to keep thinking about that. Maybe you know.

I hope this is a great birthday for you and that every birthday you have is better than the last and on and on and on.

I also hope you like the Boston Ballet beanie I got you. I have the same one. I wear it all the time. I wear it outside to keep my head warm. Sometimes I wear it when I run stairs. I even wear it to bed.

It has this special ability to make the person whose head it is on feel safe and calm. So of course I wanted to get it for you.

The BB also stands for Best Buddy. It was really lucky to have those two Bs.

Well, I guess that’s going to be it from me…hold on…I just jumped in my chair because I heard this piteous moan and didn’t realize at first that it was your BFF the Little Ghost Girl who wants me to tell you that she wishes you an even happier birthday than I do—she’s so competitive!—and that it’s not as bad as it sounds on the other side…

…wait…I’m not telling Amelia that…no…hold on, Amelia…that’s better…the Little Ghost Girl wants me to tell you that she hopes you eat lots of yummy cake. I also wish this for you.

Happy birthday, buddy.

Love, Colin