Birthday!

Bit of an anti-climax actually. Tim and I off out to work, and Sarah in charge of the children. Despite my best efforts I didn’t get back particularly early, but Big tells me she had a good day. We did family presents after her bath, and she was thrilled with a rainbow IKEA candle as well as a structured painting set (no, I don’t know either) – so is taking it (the candle that is) to school tomorrow hopefully to use in the Montessori birthday walk.

Really wish I could be there for that, it sounds lovely. But I’m sure that she will enjoy it anyway. Have spent this evening locating pictures for it – hit a small snag when I discovered that our printer has run out of colour ink, so couldn’t print out any of the last couple of years of digital shots. Luckily my parents are only three miles away, and their printer is all inked up, so I’ve been up there for a good hour or so.

And that wipes out the evening. Also made it to Tesco’s to exchange the skirt that mother got her – the elastic seems rather unstretchy, and the waist somewhat larger than the 21 inch it’s supposed to be. But the skirts they had in the shop didn’t seem much better, so I grabbed another, and if it isn’t, I’ll be busy with the elastic this weekend, as she’s desperate to wear it.

Ought to be posting a wonderful, where I was 6 years ago post, but where I am now doesn’t seem to allow for the necessary time. Suffice it to say that I can’t believe it is 6 years, although she is becoming so obviously not a little girl with every passing day, it’s quite scary. So self-possessed, and yet still so wonderfully childishly self-centred, she’s right on the cusp of some major personality change or development I think – keep seeing glimpses of it in the way she can be so utterly thoughtful and caring – like tonight when before Small got out of the bath, she wrapped one of her toys in the discarded wrapping paper so that he could have something to unwrap as well. And no, she hadn’t read the blog, I don’t think 😉

A third of the way to adult. That puts it in perspective, what a short time we have of them. The Jesuits would say I have only another year to claim her soul, heart and mind, and I can well believe that. I think I need to shape up a bit, and more than anything, remember to cuddle her more often while she’s still (just about) small enough to snuggle up to me, rather than it being the other way around!

I am very proud of my daughter. And I love her very much. And for once tonight I remembered to tell her so in as many words. For that small reason, I go to bed proud of myself tonight. 🙂