 |
| Your Pa takes many beautiful photos of you, and you LOVE the camera. |
Dear Olivia,
It’s now the new year – 2014. I officially can’t say “I had a baby last year”. That kinda makes me sad!
You’ll be TWO this year (okay, that’s 10 months away…). Time is flying and you are growing so quick. The last year of your life has been mind blowing. Watching you learn and grow is such a blessing. The feeling of pride in my heart is so over whelming when you work out a new puzzle or realize that you pressed that button and it did something. Cause and effect. You are very clever for your age, I believe. I love watching you do the simplest of tasks. Lately you’ve been climbing on the couch and sitting all slouched, playing with your legs absent-mindedly while you watch whatever I’ve left the TV on.
Yes, you watch TV. Bad parenting, I know 😉 I’m selective about what you watch though.
Educational shows: Yes.
Grand Theft Auto 5: No.
Your Dad learnt that lesson pretty quick. Violent video games are to played when you’re in bed!
You mainly watch shows for dancing and singing and animal recognition. You love The Wiggles and Giggle and Hoot. You dance non stop to The Wiggles. You have some amazing moves, and it’s all natural, baby! You also like the theme for Charlie and Lola but your obsession with Peppa Pig was short lived. You really like the animals in Mama Mirabelle’s Home Movies.
Speaking of animals you are still obsessed with cats. You love Meeka and the poor thing has put up with a lot from you. You’ve tipped water on her, ripped chunks of hair out, and twisted her tail. You share her cat biscuits with her and you smack your lips, mimicking me when I call for her. You love to offer her all your food as you walk around the backyard – watermelon, strawberries, egg, and drinks. Sadly Penny hasn’t been the same since the bushfires and you never get to play with her any more.
You are such a hilarious kid. You’re unlike any baby I’ve ever met or heard of. You make me laugh so much every day. You sing and dance and have no shame! When we go shopping you talk to at least 3 people every time! You’re rarely shy. I love that about you as I have always been the opposite. You do things to make everyone laugh and you’re just a year old! You make yourself laugh too which is a great trait kid, don’t lose it!
Last year we didn’t really celebrate Christmas. On one hand I felt like a failed parent for that. You poor child, missing out on Christmas! But we just didn’t have the finances or the heart for it this year. It’s been a hectic year, lots going on Liv… one day you’ll understand that Christmas is sometimes just at the bottom of your priority list. Luckily you are young enough to not care. You didn’t even know it was Christmas. You did enjoy ripping paper off the presents that you got. The year before last you were only 12 weeks old on Christmas day so didn’t care about presents, only the wrapping paper. This time you were able to rip that paper off and ooh and ahh over the gift inside. Then you’d walk away and get over it!
This year your Daddy and I gave you a big wooden toy cube that has different activities on it. You also got a shirt for summer and 2 wooden puzzles. One has fruit on it that have been halved and you stick them together with velcro and pretend to cut them with a wooden knife. You recognize all the fruits (watermelon, banana, strawberry and pear). We also got you a new charm for your bracelet or whatever you decide to do with them when you’re older. It’s a promise we made for every Christmas – a new charm with a story behind it. This time it was a pussy cat. You’re just so obsessed!
You might care to know that I (your mumma) had a pussy cat charm on my bracelet when I was a teenager.
I promise this year will be a magnificent Christmas. I just don’t want it to be all about presents though.
You have also been a pain in Mumma’s bottom over the last year. You’ve hurt my back and neck so badly that I take way too much pain relief and have to get pain relief treatments all the time. You need to feed to sleep still, while I’m standing and swaying. It’s not ideal but I know it’s not forever. You don’t realize that you’re almost 11 kilos! One day I will miss it, so for now I try to cherish having you fall asleep in my arms and snuggle me all night.
I feel so complete with you in my life. I know Daddy feels the same. For this year, I’d like you to start eating more foods. More variety and more often. I worry you’re going to vanish into thin air when you have days where all you will eat is 4 strawberries. I also want you to sleep better for your sake (okay and mine). I want you to feel refreshed and awake when you get up! I also want you to KEEP YOUR DAY NAP this year. Oh Lord, please!
Everything else will fall into place. I will let you be your own little person. You’ll develop your personality more and more. You’ll experience new emotions and situations. There will be plenty of tears, plenty of tantrums I’m sure. But you can bet your teddy bear there’ll also be plenty of love, hugs, laughter and kisses (something else you love to do – kiss people!). You are so dearly loved and I can’t wait to live 2014 with you by my side, little one.
Much love,
Mumma xx
*I could write so much more in this letter, but it would go on for hundreds of pages.
Hippie Mumma 