Today, LP is Six

Dear Little Pickle,

How are you six already? It feels like yesterday that you turned five and spent the next months saying that you wanted to still be four – and to be four forever. At that point I really did think that you’d tell everyone that you were four forever but somewhere between autumn and spring you decided that actually, five was a pretty awesome age, and you rolled with it – all the way to six.

This last year has been so big for you. It’s seen you through the whole of Year One at school – and you’ll be starting Year Two in just a few days. You love school, you have so many friends and love the teachers and I think that school is one of your happy places – you just love it there.

Your school report this year was amazing – you are right where you should be – even though you’re pretty much the youngest, and littlest, in your school year. The report said the only things you need to do are make your hand writing tidier and practice throwing and catching – I am sure those things will fall into place in no time.

Swimming has been a huge thing for you this year. You have gone from being in the little pool to being in the big pool and swimming with no floats to now going up a stage – and you are so proud of your new yellow hat!

You have had two holidays this year – Mallorca at Easter and then Kos earlier this summer where you really got to show off your swimming. You pretty much lived in the pool and happily jumped in and swam to the edge time and time again. You loved Mini Club too – I’m not sure any holiday will ever compete with Mark Warner’s Mini Club.

You are still so tiny – but all good things come in small packages! You are in age 4-5 clothes, have size 10 feet and are about 105cm tall. Your brother will soon be bigger than you – and you often get mistaken for twins at the moment. You are the same size, weigh the same and are like a constant double act. He is, without a doubt, your favourite person in the world.

I can’t believe you are suddenly over half way to double figures. Five seemed so big a year ago but now six seems huge. But, you are totally a six year old. You can read so well and love books – even starting to read ones without pictures. You write stories and made a diary of our holiday. You are the most creative little thing I know, loving nothing more than an afternoon spent with a packet of pipe cleaners.

You suddenly have a huge love of music. You dance and sing constantly, asking us to turn the radio on and bouncing along to songs in the car. You are always asking us who sings different songs on the radio – and often I don’t have a clue! You love Justin Timberlake, Little Mix and Ed Sheeran – loving that he has the same colour hair as you too!

LP, you make us so happy. You are a joy to be around – from the moment you wake up and come into our bed for cuddles all the way through to the bedtime story you insist on reading before bed in the evening. You go out of your way to help everyone, you choose things to do based on what your brother would like most and you are always thinking about other people before yourself. If there’s anything I could want for the next year it would be to put yourself first a little bit more – choose a TV show or day out that you would love rather than what you know your brother would love.

But six will see you finishing the Infants – moving into the Juniors when you’re seven.  It’s your last year of being really little and I am going to make the most of every minute of it – as I hope you will too.

Five has been a great year – it’s seen your personality grow, your sense of humour and your quirks. It’s seen you gain confidence, learn new things and ask so many questions. Five has been amazing – as have you.

And now you are six. Happy Birthday my beautiful little LP. You make me happy – when skies are grey and all the times in between. I love you more than chocolate biscuits.

Never, ever change.

Love always,

Mummy and Daddy x