Dear Annie

 Dear Annie

You are one today. A whole year has passed since I held you for the first time. It’s gone incredibly fast but it also feels like you’ve always been a part of our lives.

I was so worried about how I would cope taking care of a baby in addition to your sister – who is still at an age whereby she requires a lot of emotional attention and validation. But I didn’t need to worry. You made it so easy.

I don’t need to bounce you around the room or shush you or pat your bum for hours to get you to go to sleep. As long as I give you one of your muzzies to cuddle when I put you down, you suck your thumb and roll over to go to sleep. It’s always been that way.

You have a really infectious smile that lights up the room. Just last week we were on the bus to Bath and you were waving and smiling at all the other passengers! Then on the bus journey home, I had the ‘snooze shade’ over your pram to try and get you to nap and you decided to peek around it and give smiles to a man sat opposite us – who had his own baby with him and found it hilarious.

I had to send you to nursery slightly earlier than I felt comfortable with due to work commitments. You were just 9 months old. I think you were slightly unsettled for two days and then you fully embraced it! I get updates on an app on my phone showing me what you’ve been up to. I especially like seeing when you and Elsie have been cuddling over the fence in the garden.

At the weekend we held a birthday picnic for you; Uncle Simon managed to coax your first wobbly step out of you! Daddy managed to film the moment so I will be able to show you when you’re older. Speaking of Daddy – you get very excited and animated when he enters the room. You especially like it when he gives you ‘noogies!’. 

You and Elsie have a special relationship that I have been so privileged to watch develop over the last 12 months. Nobody can make you giggle quite like Elsie can. She likes to hold your hand and pass you snacks when we’re driving in the car. I hope you will always be close and support each other.

I’m really excited to see what the next year holds for you and to watch your personality come out as you learn to talk. You mostly say dada at the moment or mama when you need comfort.

Thank you for coming along and completing our little family my gorgeous girl. I love you so much.

Lots of love

Mummy x