I knew you were a star when

In Aisling's second grade class, each student gets to be "Star Student" for a week. As part of this, the student's parent(s) write(s) a letter to their kid and emails it to the teacher for her to read to the kid. This is what I wrote for Aisling.

I knew you were a star when
you were still in the womb
turning and pushing, not submitting
when I tried to move you,
and I knew you were strong.

I knew you were a star when
you were one year old and
you would pull all your books into a pile and read
even though you didn’t know the words
(and they were sometimes upside down),
and I knew you were curious.

I knew you were a star when
you were two years old and
you would concoct amazing
stories with your stuffed animals
creating your own little world,
and I knew you were imaginative.

I knew you were a star when
you were three years old and
you gave your grandmama
directions home from daycare,
and I knew you paid attention.

I knew you were a star when
you were four years old and
you couldn’t watch Elmo in Grouchland
because it made your heart hurt
to see Elmo yearn for his lost blankie,
and I knew you were compassionate.

I knew you were a star when
you were five years old and
you asked me what “suffered for his sanity”
meant in the song Starry Starry Night and
you understood my answer,
and I knew you were smart.

I knew you were a star when
you were six years old and
Daddy and Liam were trying everything
they could think of to pop a
soy-sauce baggie on the driveway and you said,
“or … you could cut it open and just
pour it on the driveway,”
and I knew you were funny.

I knew you were a star when
you were seven years old after
Grandma Mary died and
you wrote Farfar letters telling him
you missed her and
you asked about his day,
and I knew you were kind.

I knew you were a star when
I handed you my heart and promised
to love you forever and ever.

Mom