Five

Five times you have been round the sun. Sometimes it feels like it has passed in the blink of an eye, sometimes I take the time to pause and savour those special moments with you.  When I read back the words I wrote this time last year all those words still wring true.

You love to sing and really enjoy the singing group we go to every week, the first activity we have joined especially for you.

I love to spend time in the kitchen with you as we cook together and in the garden as we weed and plant.

You still love to be by my side but you are venturing out more and more, slowly and surely.  You make 'friends' everywhere we go, talking confidently to other children and then tell me what they have said when we leave.

I love to watch you engaging with other children taking those tentative steps to introduce yourself with no help from me, it is not something I or your older brother did.  You love company in what ever form that comes spending time with people feeds your soul, I need to remember this and ensure you get enough time immersed in company.  Your brother and I need time alone to feed our souls.  You have made friends that are important to you, children you want to spend time with each and every week.

You have always asked lots of questions but recently they have changed.  You want to know more about this world we live, how it works, what things are for, why we do things the way we do and what things say.  Letters and words are of great interest, the lines and squiggles in a book mean something and you want to find out more.  You 'read' books to yourself all the time.

I hold your hand as you venture out into the world and you are also holding mine, showing me the way. How to be a parent to a child who is often different from me.  You accept my mistakes and tell me it is ok.  Your frustrations at what you are unable to do, turns to cuddles and snuggles when we have worked it out together.

You love to play games together and are not bothered if you win or lose, in this you are like me not your competitive brother or father.

In the last year you have learnt to swim and ride a bike.

I love your company as does your brother, whom you miss deeply when he is out with friends.  Your bond is strong which makes my heart sing.  I am proud to be your mum, happy birthday my little one.