Dearest Aria,
Happy 8th Birthday!
I think it’s fair to say this past year has been a better year for you. You hated restrictions and home school so you are very happy that they are over and so very happy to be at school with your friends. You have a huge thirst for learning, I don’t think I have met a child that loves a school as much as you do. Your teachers say what a delight you are. You have coped with your best friend moving away after lockdown last year and then the friends you made after that being moved into new classes. You still play with them in your break time and have made new friendship groups. I am very proud of your resilience.
You love to read and dance and play and sing. You have discovered a love of musical theatre this year and I absolutely loved taking you to see Wicked at Christmas. You declared it the best day ever! It’s certainly going in my favourite memory bank too. I hope there are many theatre trips in the future for us.
Your creativity has really flourished this year. We got you the Simply Piano app last summer and you have loved it, playing the piano nearly every single day and learning to play with both hands. You then went on to do a couple of terms of iRock and just this week have started proper piano tuition. You love craft of all sorts and drawing and have been thriving in your Little Sketchbook art classes. These last couple of months you have discovered a bit of a passion for designing clothes for your dolls, a little bit inspired by your Gran. Which has led you to ask for fashion design-related gifts for your birthday.
You have finished Gymfinity classes, and you did amazingly at them, but still go swimming and to yoga every week. You love your yoga classes with Gale. Your favourite toys to play with are barbies. All the barbies! You make a whole town up in your bedroom. Although we won’t talk about your bedroom!! As well as teddies, I think your bed is buried under them.
Today you’re having a pottery painting birthday party with your friends. It’s the biggest party you have been allowed to have since the pandemic. You were only allowed two friends over last year, so I know how excited you are. Your cousin is travelling to come along as well. The main present you have asked for is tickets to see the stage show Matilda which we will go to when Mummy’s back is better.
You still love books, just like your Mummy, Daddy and big brother. I think your favourite books to read are the Rainbow Fairy series, which you have asked for some more of for your birthday. You clothes and fashion, just like your Mummy and there were a lot of clothes on your birthday list this year too.
I know parts of this year have been hard with Grandma Lily dying and Mummy having a bad back injury. I know this has made you sad at times. Thank you for helping me and being understanding. And always remember that Grandma Lily will always live on in your heart and inside of you. Hopefully, Mummy’s operation in three weeks will make things better. I really hope so and we can go back to trips out to the park and our Mummy and daughter trips together which I have missed so much.
We have introduced Mummy and Aria TV times on a Friday night when we watch a show of our own together which I love. My favourite memories are always our family holidays together and day trips out. I feel like things are definitely going to go up from here, I really do, but I will always remember the little moments of Aria that make you who you are. The small hugs and laughter, the stories and baking together.
As always, it’s very hard to put into writing how much you mean to me. I love your hugs, your giggles, your smiles and your passion for life. You coming in the morning, declaring it’s time for a big hug. Your sense of style and creativity, don’t stop being you, because who you are is someone very special indeed.
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