happy birthday note from mummy

My little orny baby (Kieran: "Mama, don't call me baby. I am not a baby anymore!"), you are now almost 3! My, how time flies, and here I am once again, (figuratively) putting pen to paper to wish you a wonderful birthday and many, many, many more amazing ones ahead.

My birthday letters are meant to be little notes of love and nuggets of information for you when you are old enough to properly comprehend the written word. The intent is to keep this up with every passing year, and have a treasure trove of love notes to pass to you to cherish in the future.

(Baby) Kieran – ever since you entered our life, you have been nothing but a ray of sunshine for daddy and me! Of course I am being biased here, but I like to say it would be hard-pressed to name any other toddler who is as cheerful and silly as you, and for that, I can never be thankful enough.

People talk about the "terrible twos" and how babies turn from little cherubic angels into bratty trolls - while you have obviously not always been a 'perfect toddler' (that would be an oxymoron), you have been an amazingly well-behaved little one, listening to our reasoning and explanations, and wise beyond your years.

We also love how compassionate you are even at this tender age – kissing me to ease any (sometimes imaginary) bruises and cuts I have; and how magnanimous you can be – for instance, sharing the last of your M&Ms with us, and blowing little insects off the floor rather than squishing them with glee - which I know doesn’t come naturally for toddlers your age.

We love how you always have a silly little smile plastered on your face from the moment you wake up in the morning and shout "Good morning mama!!!", till you end the day by negotiating the number of goodnite kisses I would get (usually 6, sometimes 7 or 8, but even up to 24, so that I can 'share with prawn baby'– the nickname you bestowed upon your little sibling still in my belly cos photos on the internet of a fetus in the early weeks reminded you of a prawn – and always saying "Mama, remember to pass them to prawn baby for me, OK!").

It is even amusing to see how hyper you can get towards the end of the day – and daddy and I would instantly know that you have missed your afternoon nap in childcare or had too many sweet stuff to eat that day!

It is because we are having such an enjoyable time with you, my little Grubby, that daddy and I were hoping that when the stork visited us again, baby number 2 would be a boy just as adorable and loving as you too! But I guess that was not in the plan, given that Dr Tan thinks prawn baby is a girl. Either way, we are thankful that the baby in mummy's tummy is healthy, pray that we would be twice lucky and have another wonderful child, and cannot wait to welcome her into this world.

Meanwhile, you have been all excited about becoming a big brother, being extremely amused at the rate my belly is growing and giggling at my belly button, asking me "Mama, is your tummy big enough already? Is prawn baby coming out yet?", and telling us how you will teach her new words, pass some of your old toys to her, and try to stop her from crying. While I know it is natural to feel a tinge of jealously once we welcome her into this world come January 2012, I am sure you will turn out to be a wonderful and loving older sibling.

Kieran - I love you, my little one, for being you – the extremely cheerful, extroverted, sometimes mature-beyond-your years, intelligent boy that you are, but also for opening up our eyes to the beauty in the world around us, and reminding us that you are barely three – and in no rush to grow up and grow out of your silly made-up language and cheeky ways.

My little orny, as you approach your 3rd birthday, my wish for you is to always have good health, a pure heart, and a bottomless wealth of happiness. I promise to continue loving you from the depths of my heart.

Happy 3rd Birthday my sweet boy! Always remember how much daddy and mommy love you!

*Muacks* *Muacks* *Muacks* *Muacks* *Muacks* *Muacks* *Muacks* *Muacks* *Muacks* *Muacks* *Muacks* *Muacks* *Muacks* *Muacks* *Muacks* *Muacks* *Muacks* *Muacks* *Muacks* *Muacks* *Muacks* *Muacks* *Muacks* *Muacks* *Muacks* *Muacks* *Muacks*

Love, Mommy
30th August 2011