Birth Day
Big One Year old girl
My 2 year old girl about to turn three .... pretending to be an angel... Beck she loves the wings
Dear Charli,
Tonight is the eve of your third birthday and as if it were yesterday I can sit here and remember exactly what I was doing 3 years ago tonight.
This evening I have just put you to bed and you held my face close in your hands and you whispered: "Do you know what tomorrow is?"
Yes my darling girl I know exactly what tomorrow is. It is the third anniversary of a day that changed our life forever. The past few months have been difficult ones, for me, for you and for us as a family. Illness, ear infections, post-PhD depression, sleeping difficulties and tantrums (by both you and I) have marred the beginning of 2008 a little. But despite all of this, I sit here and shed a tear for the three years that seem to have gone a little too fast, though I know that there was many a night of sleeplessness or days of whinging that I have wished them away, desperate for these difficult years to be over.
Your favourite at the moment is to remind me (a lot) that I get cross with you. Thankfully I've taught you well and you are also quick to point out that you know I still love you. The other day you even told me you didn't like me very much, but that you still loved me, and your emotional intelligence astounds me some days. Of course this is balanced out by regular 2 year old behaviour that manifests in 'drama queen' ways for you - one such instance being the other morning when I - still half asleep - was subjected to you sobbing for 5 minutes in front of Dora the Explorer because you couldn't see the TV... IT'S RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF YOU CHARLI, WHAT IS WRONG? I yelled exasperatedly.... when you started rubbing your eyes I even had a moment of panic, thinking your vision had been harmed in some way. But no. It turns out that your couch was NOT ON THE EXACT RIGHT ANGLE TO THE TV. God give me strength. It's mornings like that when I think that it is quite likely that I might stroke out before i reach the age of 35. But then you turn around and smile at me like butter would not melt in your mouth and I'm back to wondering how I could ever be angry with you at all.
Charli girl. We love you so much. Your daddy, your sister and I think you are wonderful. Never stop being exactly who you are.
Love Mummy
xoxox
