All the Ways I Love You As You Turn Three

I love your strong will and your meek nature,
I love how you look at your things like they’re all that matter.

I love the way you call for us,
(and even the times when you demand instead of ask).

I love how you play the Big Boss and the Little Lady,
All at the same time, whenever you like, whenever you’re ready.

I love the way you smile coyly, shyly, deviously and tenderly,
And how you tantrum so fiercely, majestically, fervently and intensely.

I even love how you weep so pitifully when you’re sad,
And how you refuse to say sorry when you’re mad.

I love how you always look out mostly for “kor kor”!
And how you prefer Inca over Maya
(No matter at all that Maya loves your company more, so much more)!

I love how you make me laugh at your silly ways,
How you bring tears to my eyes when I talk to daddy about our days.

I love how you’re all girly one minute,
And the perfect tomboy the next;
Also how you snuggle up with Squirt,
And then throw your stuffed toys away in favour of cars, trains and your talking bird.

I love the way you plan to go “with you, Mummy and Daddy and kor kor to Mars!”
Even though you actually love the “red spot on Jupiter!”

I love how you say you want to be a “bayyereena”,
And the way you swish your skirt and twirl.

I love how I get to be your mummy,
And most of all, how proud I am that you’re my little girl.

Happy and Blessed Birthday my littlest darling and bestest girl!

“Kiss Her Again”

There we are in the dark and cold bedroom; it’s time for us to retreat to our private thoughts and personal space that will be very frequently invaded by random requests, burning questions that absolutely require answers right there and …

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Away, Already.

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Many times, I think about how my kids will be on to me. Sooner than I think, now that my eldest has turned three and is wildly sensitive to everything, and my youngest is becoming sentient. Before I know it, they …

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Dear Emma, Happy Blessed 2nd Birthday. And as with all other birthdays that we’ve celebrated for you and your brother – and I suspect for all birthdays from now on – I ask, “Where did the time go?” It’s taken …