Thirteen

The ways in which you drive me frantic with worry and frustration are all the same things I deeply admire and respect in you. You've never not been a spark, little wildfire. And now you're almost adult sized and articulate enough to pass for older than your years. There's no taming you, only my attempts at ensuring you think through which consequences you can quite handle. There's no stopping you, only my reminders to look before you leap.

Honestly the next couple of years scare me a bit. If the proof is in the pudding, has my mothering been spent wisely?

You're brave and you know yourself. You're caring. You have boundaries and you know how to stand your ground. You're so filled with passion and wonder and life. I don't want the world to squish you.

Happy birthday, Bean. I hope I can be the person you need for these last precious years of your childhood.

Almost a month in not very many pictures

1: Dinner at my mum's house, giggling
2: Pot painting
3: Cookie dough
4: Stickers and babysitting
5: Some of Rowan's beach collection
6: Park climbing
7: Blue hair, blue tunic, blue icecream at the board game cafe
8: Jenna entertaining Talia, in between a week away at camp and another week away in Estonia (she's having all the adventures)
9: Talia has been taking Milly the Monster out for walks, taking very seriously Jenna's parting instruction to look after her toys for her while she's away
10: Muddy community garden play

(Mainly I am sick and exhausted. Mainly I am not coping with everyday life. I don't really know what else to say, except that I'm very glad of all the people doing things with the children and looking after us.)