Dear Olive,
It was raining when we brought you home from the hospital. You'd entered the world just four hours before, at ten minutes to ten am, and Shane dropped you and I off outside the building while he drove off to find a park. He seemed to take ages, and as you and I lay on the bed and looked at each other, I couldn't quite believe that I had grown this tiny, foreign, beautiful girl. I felt beyond lucky that you belonged to me, and I to you.
Five years later and I laugh at how small my dreams were for you that day. How could I possibly have imagined you up as you are today. You laugh loud and live big. You're hilarious, and smart, and an excellent drawer. You're enthusiastic, and social, and you love building lego (the girly, princessy type, thank you!). You're outspoken, and you wipe off my kisses (but that will never deter me). You love singing and swimming and dancing, and you are fierce in your love for Clancy. I have never ever seen anyone wear more clashing patterns and colourful ensembles than you. You're everything I hoped you would be, and ever so much more. And it wouldn't even matter, anyway, because if motherhood has taught me anything, it's been to let go of my expectations; I'm delighted and grateful to be able to just watch you be you, whichever way that takes you.
The night before your birthday, we left some balloons in your bedroom while you slept, and it was such a fun beginning to a great day of celebrating. There were presents and cake, and we had a few friends over for a birthday play date with musical statues and fruit wands. I was so excited to celebrate you and make a fuss, I know it's been such a huge year for you, in many ways you've taken a back seat since Clancy came along. But the way it's gone so far, five feels like it'll be your year. And it really does feel big. I nearly fell over when I watched you introduce your friends to each to other at your birthday playdate - as if you'd been introducing people your whole life.
Happy birthday, my darling girl, I love you.
It was raining when we brought you home from the hospital. You'd entered the world just four hours before, at ten minutes to ten am, and Shane dropped you and I off outside the building while he drove off to find a park. He seemed to take ages, and as you and I lay on the bed and looked at each other, I couldn't quite believe that I had grown this tiny, foreign, beautiful girl. I felt beyond lucky that you belonged to me, and I to you.
Five years later and I laugh at how small my dreams were for you that day. How could I possibly have imagined you up as you are today. You laugh loud and live big. You're hilarious, and smart, and an excellent drawer. You're enthusiastic, and social, and you love building lego (the girly, princessy type, thank you!). You're outspoken, and you wipe off my kisses (but that will never deter me). You love singing and swimming and dancing, and you are fierce in your love for Clancy. I have never ever seen anyone wear more clashing patterns and colourful ensembles than you. You're everything I hoped you would be, and ever so much more. And it wouldn't even matter, anyway, because if motherhood has taught me anything, it's been to let go of my expectations; I'm delighted and grateful to be able to just watch you be you, whichever way that takes you.
The night before your birthday, we left some balloons in your bedroom while you slept, and it was such a fun beginning to a great day of celebrating. There were presents and cake, and we had a few friends over for a birthday play date with musical statues and fruit wands. I was so excited to celebrate you and make a fuss, I know it's been such a huge year for you, in many ways you've taken a back seat since Clancy came along. But the way it's gone so far, five feels like it'll be your year. And it really does feel big. I nearly fell over when I watched you introduce your friends to each to other at your birthday playdate - as if you'd been introducing people your whole life.
Happy birthday, my darling girl, I love you.
6 comments:
Such a beautiful post Kellie. Happy day Olive. You're the coolest 5 year old I know xx
Gorgeous Kellie! Olive is a very cool 5 year old x
Happy birthday Olive!
Such a precious post!
beautiful post! happy birthday, olive! i have a challenger for 'queen of clashing patterns', but from what i've seen, olive manages to look way cooler than coco, who often looks like a gypsy girl (which actually makes me smile a lot).
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