Dearest Summer,

My loving daughter, do you realize how you drive me crazy, not you personally, but just having you in my life has turned me into a crazed maniac. I worry about you most of the time, I worry when you sleep at night, still, that you might stop breathing. I worry that you are cold and uncovered and you may freeze to death. I worry when you are in your room napping, because, it is possible, an airplane may crash into our house. I worry when you are running around with your friends, you are so beautiful someone might try to grab you. I worry when you are sitting next to me, you might slip and fall and crack your head on the tile. I worry obsessively about every single thing you do, and don't even get me started on the things you don't do - should you be doing them? Should you be more adventurous, should you be climbing over the couches, not that I want that, I don't, should you be eating more vegetables, I mean you eat a lot, you eat more than I do, but is it enough? Should you be allowed to eat candy, what about your precious little teeth, do we brush those long and often enough? Should we have gotten you that kitty, is he going to scratch your precious skin and leave a scar? What if you accidentally step on the dog and he bites you? Are you watching too much tv or not enough, do I have you on the computer enough or should you be typing already? Are your clothes appropriate for your age, too cute, too mature, too silly? Will you look back on all your pictures and hate me or am I taking enough pictures, am I capturing all the memories, too many? Have I been diligent about sun screen, are you in the sun too much, not enough? Should you be taking daily vitamins, are you getting enough exercise, is it too dangerous, might someone kick you. Am I pushing you into dance or do you really enjoy it, is it more for me, will it hurt your knees and toes and back? Are we spending enough time on school, should I back off and let you play more, will you be smart, do you have cancer because I heated your baby bottles, the ones that were not bpa free, in the microwave? Could I have tried to breastfeed harder, made you latch, pumped and pumped and pumped. Do I say I love you enough or do I say it too much? Is calling you beautiful all the time going to give you a complex? Should I turn your car seat backward, it is safer you know, and is your seat in tight enough? Am I good enough driver, do I pay attention, should we just avoid the roads and save ourselves the worry? Oh Summer, how I worry about every single thing - you drive me crazy but I wouldn't have it any other way, somehow the worry has become a part of who I am, I am a mom who worries constantly and tries to do the best job I can without smothering you too much. Oh and one more thing, am I reading to you enough?