Programming Note: Yes, I said I’d be back in the fall. Technically, it’s still fall (or, as my daughter regularly corrects me, autumn). Also, my sister got married (yay!) and I started volunteering in (apparently too many) places, so it’s been a bit busy in the last couple of months. Hopefully everything settles in over the next few weeks. Thank you for your patience.

My Dearest,

How are you so grown up? When did that happen? When did you stop being my overly-long baby? My chatterbox toddler? My inquisitive preschooler? You are still overly-long (we call it tall now), a chatterbox, and very much inquisitive, but you are also squarely in the primary-school-age category. It’s uncharted territory for me now…

I love the talks we have. You are still firmly in the “tough questions phase”, and I get to have conversations about wars, crime and punishment, and international politics. It keeps me honest, which I like a lot. I also get to have talks about fiction and non-fiction and career choices. I think it’s ironic (we haven’t discussed that one yet) that I spent the first 3 years of your life wishing you’d grow up, and I find myself now wishing you’d stay a child for just a little longer.

You are tall and lanky, and one of the kindest kids I know. You share everything with everyone, and you gave away your precious pokemon cards collection so fast it was almost heart-breaking for anyone who knew how long and hard you worked and saved to buy it. “But mum,” you said, “he didn’t have that card and he really wanted it”.

You started developing a sense of humor, and a knack for telling tall tales. Because you never used to lie at all we never had to talk to you about how to let people know when you’re telling about something that actually happened and something you made up, and what the consequences are for lying. It’s going to take time until we sort out all of that, but you are such a good kid that I’m not too worried about that.

So for this coming year, I wish for you to be true to yourself. It’s hard to really listen to yourself when there are teachers and friends and sister and parents who all tell you what they think you should do. But I hope you can find a way to listen to all of these people, and then also listen to yourself and choose the path that is right for you. Oh, and I wish for that front tooth to finally drop ;)

Love, Ima.