A Decade of Our Little Pickle

Dear Little Pickle

I can’t quite believe that I’m already writing this letter to you. Your tenth birthday has come round so quickly. I still remember writing that very first letter to you and deciding I would make it a tradition, writing to you and any future children, each year on your birthdays.

And now you are ten. Ten years since you came into the world, in our lounge, in a planned home birth. Ten years since we became parents, since our lives changed immeasurably and since we became a family. There is nothing I would change. They have been the best years I have known.

Last year our world was turned upside down with the pandemic and this year not much has changed although most adults are now vaccinated and restrictions have all but disappeared – aside from travel. I think some travel restrictions will stay for a long time to come.

So, because of the pandemic, the last year hasn’t been normal for you. But it has been a new normal. You split time between school and school at home and somehow we got through the school year without too many issues. You were a super star as always – so clever and knowledgeable but also polite and kind.

You still love school – and I can’t believe that in a few days you will be starting your final year of primary school. You love to read, you have a thirst for learning and you know so much. Many of your sentences start with ” Mummy, did you know..” and more often than not, I didn’t know. You know so much more than I ever did – and will be incredible at a pub quiz one day.

You have overtook your brother in height again this year and you have caught up with clothes sizes for your age too – wearing age 9 clothes at the moment rather than your history of wearing 2 or 3 years younger and now have size 2 feet. You have grown loads over the last year – in height and maturity. You’re a proper young lady now and it’s so lovely to see you grow into the person you’ve always been destined to become.

This summer you got your ears pierced. You weren’t that fussed about getting it done, but everyone else was getting theirs done and it felt like the right time, with the summer holidays for them to heal. We gave you the choice whether to have them pierced or not and you wanted to – and chose pink earrings. Pink is still very much your favourite colour.

Your bedroom was decorated this year – in a nice baby pink rather than the previous fuschia pink. The house had a huge overhaul this year too – with our loft conversion and the whole first floor needing to be redecorated and carpeted. We moved out for a month just after your last birthday and you took everything in your stride. Like with everything in life, you just see it as yet another adventure.

You still love dressing up, love cartoons, enjoy acting out stories with your brother and have a new found love of Nerf guns too. It’s not exactly what I had imagined but Nerf battles bring you and your brother so much joy. I’m very much focused on you both doing what makes you happy – within reason.

You are really creative. You love arts and crafts, painting, making things and singing and dancing too. You are back at the Arena for swimming lessons now – although it’s not called that since it was rebuilt. And you can still swim like a fish.

You have become much more adventurous with food this year. You eat actual salad and try pretty much anything. You have a new found love of hummus, olives and feta. I think you’re living up to your Greek namesake there! You love a curry, with all the sides, and still love a roast dinner too.

You are a joy to be around. You are a lovely girl and you bring us so much happiness. You are the best company, make us laugh and see the beauty in everything. You are growing far too quickly but I am so proud that we get to be by your side through it all. It’s a pleasure to watch and a real privilege.

Thank you for being you LP, we love you more than you could ever imagine.

Happy birthday

Love

Mummy and Daddy xx