My Dear little Sylvie Girl,
A couple of years ago I hovered at the top of aisle 10, the Sainsburies baby aisle. I stared dejected, at nappies, creams and wipes, the thought I might never have a reason to push my trolly past them slowly settling in my mind. The only parking space left that day had been a parent child spot, the irony of which was made all the worse by the last trolly left which was broken, child seat stuck out, ready for use…useless to me.
But yesterday, when I didn’t have any change, a kind man at the supermarket unlocked a trolly with a child seat for me, and I sat you in it. I stopped down aisle 10, looked at you sat in that seat, oblivious, marvellous, here.
So here’s to a whole year of muddling through my love, being a team and working it out, all set against the background of a global pandemic that if nothing else, allowed us to stay in our little baby bubble longer than most ever get to.
Thinking that I may never get the chance at late nights, crying fits, nappy explosions and mental sleep patterns has made them all the sweeter.
Listening to the many, many parents that went before us repeat, ‘it goes too fast enjoy it while you can’ only cemented my intention to soak up every moment and every opportunity, good and bad, to be present and with you this year. I wanted to, and now I feel I can say, without a doubt that I took every single baby second I could lay my hands on these past 12 months, before they slipped all too quickly through my fingers, and into my memories. And they are right, it all goes far, far too fast my love.
This little loss is softened though, by my excitement to see you grow and change, to turn into this wonderful little human that I have so many hopes for. I’m humbled daily by my luck to have you and so much ahead of us.
We did it, we finally got you. Of all the girls appearing across the world on a cold, quiet, early morning this day last year, you were the one that came into ours. We are thankful for that beyond measure and we love you with all our hearts,
Happy Birthday.
