An open letter to my daughter on her fourth birthday
Following on the tradition, this is an open letter to my daughter, Elsie, on your fourth birthday.
I can’t believe we have had four whole years of you – where has that time gone?
This time last year I shared my open letter on your third birthday.
What are you like right now?
You are still fiercely independent and much like your mammy, you’re quite the chatterbox and your vocabulary continues to expand by the day.
More recently you have become more confident to chat with people you don’t know or know that well.
You are very observant and enjoy telling us when you spot a bus, a bird, a tractor or an insect when we’re on a walk or travelling in the car.
That independent streak is as strong as ever within you – you’re definitely strong willed and minded.
You absolutely know your own mind which can lead to some frustration (for us all at times) but you can also seek help.
Although you sometimes struggle with your emotions and get frustrated you are still very caring and loving and together with nursery we’re continuing to help you talk through your feelings.
You care about others and will offer to share your food or toys and you are always ready with a hug if someone is upset.
You’re able to recognise shapes and letters and can point out names including yours, mammy, daddy and family and friends.
You can also count confidently beyond 10.
We joined our local tennis club last year and started with Tots Tennis which we go to on a Saturday morning.
You join in with most of the activities and are gaining confidence every session.
What do you love right now?
You still love Paw Patrol and the toys that we got for your last birthday are still well played with.
More recently you have been enjoying Wallace and Gromet and were thrilled that the gift shop in Seahouses on our summer holiday had two Wallace and Gromet toys which we had to buy!
Playing outdoors is still one of your favourite things and you relish the opportunity to do so both at home and at nursery.
You’ve recently gained more confidence in terms of obstacles, climbing and playing in parks.
I couldn’t believe that you were happy to go on the biggest slide (with daddy) at Lilidorei at Alnwick of course I screamed all the way down on my first turn but managed to hold it together the second time I went down it.
You really enjoy ice lollies on a hot day and you’ve started to enjoy ice cream recently too.
And like mammy and daddy you love your food and snacks!
The scooter we bought for your birthday is a hit already and within moments of unwrapping it you were out riding on it.
You enjoy playing with your friends at nursery and fortunately some of these friendships will continue with you into primary school as some of your friends will be joining you in your new class.
The mud kitchen and sand remain firm favourites at nursery and you continue to enjoy painting and drawing both at nursery and at home (RIP dining room chair).
You love playing in your sandpit in the back garden too.
You also enjoy rides when we go out shopping especially buses!
You also enjoy gardening with daddy and you were sad when your pretty flowers at the front of the house sadly wilted.
You still love animals and you absolutely loved pjs trip to South Lakes Safari Zoo for daddy’s 40th birthday and enjoyed feeding the giraffes and penguins.
And you love seeing the chickens at both Broom House and Knitsley Farms.
And you had your first proper birthday party which we held at Believe and Be which you absolutely loved!
Milestones this past year
We ditched the dummy completely once you turned three and also dropped your one remaining nap.
You handled the transition from the toddler room at nursery to the final pre-school room really well, we just had to take on the challenge of potty training.
Once we were back from your first proper holiday to Center Parcs, we got serious about potty training and my goodness what a challenge that was.
I’m so glad that with the support at home and at nursery you managed to crack potty training in your own time.
There were plenty of moments particularly in the summer and autumn last year where I really worried if we would crack it.
But I’m so glad to say we have come on leaps and bounds.
And most recently you gained confidence to use toilets at restaurants and cafés on our holiday to Northumberland which was fantastic.
In June this year you moved from your cot bed to your big girl bed.
You look so tiny in your proper single bed but we felt you were ready for this change.
You’re tall like daddy so you were quickly running out of space in your cot bed but now you have plenty in your new big girl bed.
We also enjoyed your first bus ride at Beamish in December which you loved and more recently the tram on our visit last week.
You also enjoyed your first train ride when we visited Heatherslaw which you really enjoyed.
My hopes for this year
I hope you enjoy your last few months at nursery before the next chapter of school begins.
I’m hoping that you settle into school life and going to a childminder well.
I’m also hopeful that your confidence will grow when it comes to using the toilet – we haven’t quite cracked going in other people’s houses or public loos fully yet.
I hope you are happy and healthy and continue to challenge yourself.
You are just an absolute joy and you really light up our lives and we know we are so incredibly lucky to be your parents.
You are so loved little girl.
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