Dear Savanna

Three wonderful years, sweetheart. We had a small party for you this year. We hired a princess jumping castle and served cookies and milk to your friends.

You are quite the girly girl. Your wardrobe is an explosion of pinks and purples. You watch Barbie, Life in the Dreamhouse too often. A new pair of shoes can make your day. Like your mother, truly.

You consider Nicolas your best friend. Friend one minute, enemy the next.  Liam is your ‘big bro’. You consider him an authority. Any rule that Liam says, you happily adhere to. Facetime with your dad is something you love to do. You miss him too much when he is away for work.

You are growing up. There was a period of time when you decided to sleep in your bed, in your own room. I felt like throwing a party for that. Well,  until you’ve decided you’d rather sleep in between your parents. Weaning you from co-sleeping is still a work-in-progress.

At times, you’d adapt a British accent from watching too much Peppa Pig on TV. Other times, it’s Spanish because you love Dora the Explorer also. You say ‘tummy ink’, instead of ‘tummy ache’. Tummy ache, by the way, is your code for “I need a lolly, pronto”. Drives me crazy.

The other day, you woke me up and said, “mummy let’s snuggle under the blankie”. I think that was my favourite part of the day. I love you like crazy.

Happy birthday, my love.

Birthday photos here

two years old

My dearest 'vanna, 

Two years ago, I gave birth to a little girl. You. All 2870 grams, 49.5 centimetres of you. Look how much you've grown in two years. No longer a baby, you've crossed over into the wonderful stage of toddlerhood. 

You'll eat pretty much anything, at this stage. Chocolate is still your favourite though (ha! Big surprise, not). You'll drop everything if you see that a piece chocolate is on offer. 

You are a typical generation alpha. The iPhone or the iPad is your thing. Your vocabulary includes "you tube", and "low battery", among others. 

You have the boys wrapped in your little finger. You scream with glee when your dad comes home. Your brothers indulge you. You'd have them chasing you around all day if you could, and they probably would too. 

You have a BFF. His name is Orlando. When I ask you how school was, you try to string along a sentence but the message is always, "lando this, lando that." 

You seem to favour the word "mine." Once I caught you talking in your sleep and you said,  "miiine, miiine!" And today, when you woke up, you noticed that your brother Nicolas was playing with your bike, guess what your first word for the day was? Your second most favourite word is "no". Sometimes I wonder if you relish saying "no" just to do the complete opposite of what I'm asking. You are feisty like that. 

I find that you're a tactile, touchy-feely little person. Your iloveyous come with a kiss. Your sorrys are followed with hugs. When you try to sleep at night, you like holding my hand. You are affectionate like that. 

As you can see, I can talk so much about you. I could come up with a sonnet about you, in the first instance. I would if you want me to. 

Happy 2nd birthday, Savanna! You bring us pure joy. I try to be a better person because I'm your momma. I love you, today and always.

first sight: 28 September 2011

monkey love

Dear ‘vanna,

You fell off the kitchen chair today. You cried like it was my fault. Just so you know, you stopped using your high chair after you turned one year old. No more feeding you as you can feed yourself, thank you very much. And most definitely no more high chair, you are no longer a baby, thank you very much.
You are a spitfire. Easily pleased, you clapped your hands and said “well done” to your brother yesterday. On the other hand, when you’re mad - you are crazy mad and refers to one of your brothers or both as “him”. Just “him”. Him making you cry. Him making you upset.
You are a monkey princess. I’m so blessed that you are mine.

Love,
Mum


P.S. your dad would say the same things. He loves you just as much.