On this day you turn 5. It is such a pleasure to be your mother. You are such a happy girl, so sunny and willing to please. Everyone wants to be your friend and play with you. Your imagination is running wild, I often catch you making up stories and allocating roles to your toys, you give them names that you’ve made up.
You started school this year and I’ve been amazed at how quickly you’ve picked up how to read and write. You’re so eager to learn and please your teacher. You walk so confidently into school without looking back, it makes me so proud.
You’re very decisive, you know what you want. Just the other day we went to buy you new school shoes – you announced you wanted shiny shoes, and the third pair you saw were ones with a diamante flower and sparkly insides – you were sold straight away! You know how you want your hair, which clothes you want to wear and where you want to go.
You have the most gorgeous big blue eyes. You love dressing up, as soon as you come dancing in from school, you change out of your uniform and know exactly what outfit to choose, paying particular attention to every colour and style matching, including underwear!
You’ve started to take better care of your toys and will make an effort to tidy away now. You love cooking and helping me in the kitchen. Your favourite colour is pink. You love getting your nails painted. You can read and write cursive script, and enjoy writing cards and messages to people.
You are so thoughtful, you draw pictures and write letters to me saying how much you love me, and you wrote one to daddy saying he was the ‘best daddy,’ which made his day. You love our cats Monty and Lily and have shown an interest in horses, but are a bit scared of riding them. You’re scared of heights, like your Daddy, you cried your little heart out when you went up a tower at Bodiam Castle!
Your favourite foods are chocolate spread sandwiches, chocolate, sweets, ice cream with sprinkles, McDonalds, fish fingers and chips, sausages, spaghetti bolognese, roast dinner, fish and chips, chinese, tomatoes, cucumber, cheese, pears, peas, potato wedges to name a few things!
Your favourite toys are puzzles, drawing, painting, crafts, dressing up, dolls and doll houses. All things feminine, despite my efforts to instill equality of play!
We have been priveleged enough to go to the theatre a few times and you really enjoyed the process, especially the Cinderella panto we went to. The cinema has become a firm favourite and we’ve even taken in a couple of festivals which were right up your street, a chance to dance to music, eat snacks, have a picnic, be outdoors and maybe a fair ride or two.
You’re getting good at ballet and trampolining, always a physical activity going on. This year will see you perform your first ballet solo with your ballet company.
When Mummy has a bath you like to sit in with me and help me wash, then jump in afterwards. I have come to cherish this time with you. I wish we had more time to spend just the two of us, having a small baby around sometimes means I can’t always give you the attention you deserve, but it doesn’t mean I love you any less. If I’m tired and shouty, I’m sorry.
You get upset when you’re tired or overwhelmed, but can easily be consoled or distracted, and don’t hold grudges. I can see you changing and developing into a lovely young girl and I see glimpses of the woman you will become.
