Have I mentioned winter has arrived in Auckland?
Just you and me, with Daddy away catching fish with friends. A whole weekend of Mummy and Daughter time. And I needn’t have felt apprehensive. You keep me focused on the here and now and help calm those niggling worries that swirl around my head. I love our time together, my little chatterbox, you are talking so well now; little sentences where new words pop up each day. I tell you over and over how much I love you and smother you with kisses and cuddles. Each day, I look forward to you waking with your beautiful smiles, giggles and sparkly eyes, just excited about the day ahead. I learn from you what is important in the world, taking time to cherish the simplest things.
You laughed and chased the butterflies at Butterfly Creek, sang happily to your self as I drove home through torrential rain that you brightly exclaimed was “noisy”, slept soundly for your afternoon naps and behaved perfectly at my work mate’s party where there were no other kids to play with.
We will quickly skip over the part where you ate one too many crisps and grapes and decided to decorate my work mate’s pristine floor while I tried to *catch* the majority of the spill in my hands while whispering frantically to my friend for “help!”
I loved sharing a room with you on Saturday night when we had a sleep over at our best friends’ house and as I lay awake nervously fretting about work and money, health and distant loved ones, the sound of your sweet breath calmed me like a drug. I wanted to pick you up, lie you next to me and breathe in your scent, embrace your warmth but I knew I couldn’t be selfish and left you to sleep in your cot.
I took Daddy’s place at your swimming lesson and you performed so well, little fish. You love the water and could spend hours floating on your back, your ears submerged which, for some reason, amuses you so.
Bathed and pyjama clad, we sat and read books on the sofa while we waited for Daddy to return, laden with fresh snapper. You raced to the door to greet him as he turned the lock and he declares that you have grown up in 2 days; more words, more hair, taller.
I pinch myself that you are ours, our beautiful, intelligent, affectionate girl. You are a gift and we are lucky, so unbelievably lucky to be your parents.
