Pinot, Bretzels, and Cathedrals

Sunday 25 February, 2018.

I took a photo of you today. Once again it epitomized your beautiful soul and I felt compelled to share it on Instagram. While searching for some words to describe you, I realised that it’s a week away from your birthday. I can’t really believe how time has crept up on us, that next weekend we will celebrate your birthday. And then a bigger realisation dawned on me. Next weekend you turn 10 years old.

A milestone. Actually, it’s just another milestone that has been part of your journey in this world that we have put you into. Each milestone seems well achieved and deserved at the time- the first few hundred grams you put on in the 10 days after your birth; your first tooth at 6 months, the first milk tooth that fell out into an apple and your stomach, never to be retrieved. Your first steps, somewhat delayed; your first trip out of the borders of your country at the age of 2 years when we had only just potty trained you and the poor car seat you travelled in got wee’d on more times that we could keep track of. When you finally started sleeping through the nights, and we had to put you in your first big bed so that you were ready for it when your sister arrived; when we managed to get you to stop drinking from a bottle, even though your dummy had long since been relegated to the fairies.

And our moments as parents- your first birthday which was followed by 3 months worth of creche-bugs, when it was all I could do to keep the vomit and poop away;  seeing you fly across the park on your bicycle, watch you with pride as you walked across the play ground at your first french school without so much as a tear rolling down your cheeks.

You’re our angel.  (So is La Petite Monstre, but she’s a different more mischievous angel).  We watch you and can’t but help but feel like we’re sitting alongside somebody so strong, somebody so kind, somebody with such inner peace and kindness. You’re inspiring. You’re wiser than a 10 year old should be.  Your serenity and peaceful nature is a welcome treat in a world obsessed with wanting more attention.

Every day we can see the light dancing in your eyes and in your soul.  And every time I accidentally reprimand you for being too boisterous, I cringe inside for being too strict on you.  I should be letting you free that spirit that is inside of you, and I am sorry. Perhaps in time you will learn that there is a time for everything, and once you have learnt this, I know that the world will be like a tree of fruit, ripe for you to take what you need.

In those times of difficulty, I wish for you to know that we are at your side, taking each step with you, guiding you as we only know how to.  We won’t coddle you, you should realise that you are your greatest strength, and with us as a support net, you will be able to take leaps to achieve what you need to.

Saturday, 3 March, 2018

Most of all, we wish you to know that we love you (and your sister, um duuuh…) more than anything else in the world.  And today, on this 10th birthday, we wish for you so much happiness, because all angel princesses deserve it ;-).

❤ U.

Mom and Dad.

Xxx