A Letter To My Daughter on her 3rd Birthday

When I was pregnant with Elsa, I started a book which enclosed letters from Joe & I to our bump & vowed to write to her every year then present it to her on her 18th Birthday.

Reading back through the letters to my expanding belly as excited but nervous expectant first time parents brings a rush of emotions back to me.

Each year it’s like we have more to say to our little girl as she grows older & her personality develops. The person she was a year ago barely resembles the hilarious little hurricane of loveliness that now graces us but I’m sure next year we’ll be saying the same thing.

Here’s my open letter to Elsa for her 3rd Birthday today –

‘To my beautiful Elsa,

So, you are 3 today & this year has being the biggest leap yet. This time a year ago you were barely talking & now I can’t shut you up!

My love for you grows daily which I never ever thought was even possible, how can I be capable of that much pure adoration? Don’t get me wrong, we’ve definitely have our up’s & down’s & there has been some days (by some I mean most…) when I want to strangle you but then you make me melt with a couple of words or you do something cute/funny & I’m like putty in your hands. Daddy says that you are probably the only person to leave me speechless so that really does says a lot. I’ve definitely met my match in you.

This past year has changed for you as you became a big sister to Rory & we are SO proud of how loving & attentive you are to him. You are his favourite person & his face lights up when you walk into the room without fail. We couldn’t have hoped for a better relationship between you both & I hope that you will always stay close to eachother.

Over the past year you’ve been attending nursery & met lots of lovely little friends who you are very fond of. You’re very independant & love doing things yourself so settled in quickly & soon became very popular with your best friends being Holly, Phoebe & Amelia. You’ve even had a few boyfriends although we daren’t tell Daddy about that as he’s a bore…I thought I’d have atleast 16 years before I was contending with stinky boys.

 

One day you’ll become a Mum too & make me a Grandma (but please, not too soon!) & only then will you understand how a parent loves a child. It’s one of the most pure & beautiful things in the world, something that is beyond words or explanation. Although you don’t realise it yet, but everything I do is for you & your brother. My love is the greatest gift I can give to you & you have it whole heartedly.

Growing older is bittersweet. Half of me is so excited for things to come & all the exciting things you have ahead of you but the other half just wants to press pause for just a while, to hold your little hand in mine for just a little while longer & look into your big beautiful eyes whilst you tell me I’m your best friend as I know in the not too distant future that will be far from the case.

If only you knew how you make me feel Elsa. If I could bottle that feeling & sell it on then we’d forever be rich.

Although you are such a big girl, it’s also important to remember that you are still so little. I sometimes expect too much of you & for that I’m sorry. I’ve still got so much to learn & am definitely far from a perfect mother but if parenting was a educational course, my teacher would give me a C & put ‘Charlotte has come on a great deal in 3 years however her patience & concentration could be improved upon’. I’m working on it.

Thank you for 3 of the best years of my life. I am so proud & honoured to call you my daughter.

Love always, Mumma x’

‘On the night you were born, the moon smiled with such wonder that the stars peeked in to see you & the night whispered ‘life will never be the same’ because there had never been anyone like you…ever in the world. Heaven blew every trumpet & played every horn, on the wonderful, marvelous, night you were born’ – Nancy Tillman – On the night you were born

I’m off to cry into my cornflakes now.

Love, Charlotte x