DEAR GRACE

 You are a tenacious, smart, and influencing child with an insane memory. You see people like chess pieces and you play social situations like they are all part of the game... your game.  The other word they have on the internet for you is HSP "Hyper Sensitive Person". Highly sensitive people are built more deeply, emotionally and mentally than most people. It reads. I agree.  You are not on the spectrum, no. But you do have the ability to assess a vibe quicker than most. It's very cool. It's INSANE to watch. At 5 you can get what you want by using your mind and memory.  Grace: "Poppy, can I have some chocolate" Poppy: "Not Grace, Daddy said no" Grace: "But Poppy, isn't this YOUR house, with YOUR rules"  *Read between the lines old man, my Dad has no weight around here, you can overrule him" Poppy: Laughing. "Grace, that's right, but I also think it's not good for you to have more chocolate" I mean, for context,...

Dear Grace,  Every time something sweet or sentimental happens and it's related to you, I cry. I don't mean like it comes from a deep place, it's right there, just lingering. Tears always waiting to shed.  When you are kind to your friends and show buckets of empathy. Cry.  When you do something grown up like learning a dance. Cry.  When I think of our relationship when we're both older. Cry.  It's never when I am with you, talking to you and interacting. It's when I am watching on, spectating your life, and observing you. It's like I am proud of my work or something. Like when you paint a picture and stand back and someone says, "That's so beautiful". That's the moment that gets me.  I lie. There are more. People think I have sore eyes, but I just cry happy tears about you all the time.  I am a very emotional Mummy, but I tend to find and unpack a lot of my emotions when I am alone. I believe thats something to do with my childhood. So, th...