today is a big day for both of my girls. One is having her third birthday, wrapped up in love and presents, cards and cake, she takes it all in her stride. Grown from the tiny baby into a confident and clever little person, you can really get a sense of who she will be in adult life. She smiles a lot. She isn’t good at doing things she doesn’t like, and she really, really loves her Mum and Dad.
There is something magical about watching your baby with their baby. As I see her hanging onto her Dad, I have a clear memory of him, aged three, also taking the world by storm,he too was funny and clever and not good at doing things he didn’t like to do. It is a funny thing this parenting.
My big girl is off on her adventures again today. I should be getting used to this, I am getting used to this. I am proud of her, the way she is grabbing life and living it her way. A Winter and Spring working hard to save, is giving her the chance for a summer in the sunshine. Her mood is infectious, her smile lights up the world.
As we are driving towards the airport we are listening to tunes from both our childhoods and teenage years. As ever she introduces me to new songs, and I share some old favourites. We have very similar taste in music, we both love lyrics and a good loud band. Songs that sing of struggles and of real life always go down well. The journey passes quickly.
Along the way I tell her how proud I am of her, how I love it that so many different people want to be her friend. She tells me it is cos she loves people, and this is true. I say that given the past couple of months I am going to try to be more selfish, to stop reaching out and to concentrate on myself. My girl is not happy. She tells me I must never give up loving people and wanting to help, because, she says, that is actually all that really matters. Ever.
Soon I am battling airport traffic to deposit her at the terminal, we park up and she grabs her rucksack from the boot, it is almost as big as she is. We have the biggest hug and then smiling she is off. Off to somewhere she has people she loves, to start this summer in a familiar place. Then, she has plans to go further afield, to find new friends and new adventures.
I am home again now, having had half a dozen text messages, letting me know she is thinking of me. I am feeling so lucky to have raised her. She is strong and beautiful and most of all she understands what is really important in this world. I hope that one day my boy will feel the pride of watching his girl take on the world. To know that one you love is loved by others is a wonderful gift, that you have done a good job, and that your baby can take care of herself and make her life her own.
Safe travels gorgeous girl, take your smile and your laughter wherever you go, make good choices and be true to yourself. The world is lucky to have you in it.