Dear Elena,
Six months ago today my life changed when you arrived and I first laid eyes on you. And I have wondered all day where the time has gone since then. It has gone so fast, my precious girl.
Today we walked along the beach at Kennedy Bay after we had said goodbye to your daddy and brother Caleb who went back to Auckland. I sang you songs....She'll be coming round the mountain, The wheels on the bus, You are my sunshine...making up the words when I couldn't remember them as I strolled along. You sang back with your beautiful little noises I have come to love and that just make me and your daddy melt when we hear them. You then fell asleep, and I didn't stop walking till you woke again an hour later.
Tonight you haven't wanted to go to bed...you are just trying to go to sleep now. There have been little protests, lots of feeds, lots of cuddles. Just now I have told you parts of little stories I tried to remember from your books....my favourite phrases from them...
"I love you through and through, I love your giggles and your cries, your tears and your smiles, I love you through and through - yesterday, today and tomorrow too." Jenny and Cleo gave you that book.
"I love you as much as the endless blue sky, I love you as much as the deep blue sea, I love you as much as the warm summer breeze, I love you as much as a mother can love." Aunty Tess and Uncle Paul gave you this one.
And I told you what I love about you...eveything reminding me of something else, but never running out of things that I love...and not being able to tell you everything.
I love your smile when you look up at me, especially when you're in the middle of feeding, it's so beautiful
I love the way you beam when you see your daddy
I love the way you can't stop looking at your brother Caleb when he's near you
I love your bright blue eyes
I love your little hands when they pull my hair and reach out and touch my face
I love the way you play with your toys, especially toy doggy and make him jiggle
I love the way you giggle when you're lifted up in the air over our heads
I love the little excited smile you get when I go 'ooooneeee, twwwwwoooooo, thhhhrrrrrreeeee' before I lift you up over my head
I love the way you kick your legs and flap your arms with glee when we come to get you out of bed
I love the changes you make every day
I love watching you grow up
I love the way we spend our days together
I love the way you lie in my arms and fall asleep
I love watching you sleep, I love the peaceful look on your face, I love the little smiles you often do in your sleep
I love the way you twitch if I stroke your head or hand when you sleep
I love the way you smell when I snuggle into the top of your head
I love the way you snuggle into my neck and fall asleep
I love the memories you have given me, I love remembering you from when you were so little
I can't wait for more and more things for me to love
And now you sleep. I can't hear the little kicks and arms reaching for the side of the cot, the little huffs and puffs as you get yourself sorted, and I bet when I go to look in in a few mintues you will be sound asleep, dreaming of whatever little babies dream of. I know they must be happy dreams because you do smile in your sleep and it's lovely to see.
And I dream often of you, my sweet girl. I'm glad you are here. Happy six months old today. I can't wait for the next six, and the six after that and after that and after that forever.
Lots and lots of love,
Your Mummy
