Dearest Bodhi,
Happy birthday!
You have been counting the days to your birthday with lots of excitement. You have seen Aria and I have our birthdays and you can’t wait for it to be yours. For your birthday we have been staying at your grandparents and you are having a party next weekend – a softplay party. You have got some friends coming and are having a little disco at the end. I know you are going to be barely able to contain the excitement!
The biggest thing for you this year has of course been starting school. I knew it was going to be a challenge as you are a summer baby, but also you are always happiest when you are running around outdoors, so sit down was always going to be something you struggled with. In many ways I wish the school system was different, but it isn’t and we will see what the future holds. You have made some lovely friends and have thrived at forest school and have had an amazing teacher this year to see you through. This last couple of weeks you have also started dog therapy which is a real highlight of your week and I actually wish I could be there to see it.
We’re talking with school, but it looks like we may potentially be facing several diagnoses for you. Dyspraxia, ADHD and maybe autism too. Mummy has suspected you’re neuro-diverse for a while and it makes no difference to us, it is part of who you are, we love you just as you are, we just want to make sure you have the support that you need.
You have had a few accidents this year which we think are probably related to the above, that have ended up with hospital visits and in March, unfortunately, you had to have a tooth removed as you fell on it too many times and it ended up stuck in your sinuses, but you bounced back from it amazingly well.
You are starting to learn to read and write, and although we have to get you in the right place to get you invested, you’re still doing really well. You won an achievement award for sharing your knowledge of dinosaurs with your classmates.
I think it’s fair to say that you love dinosaurs…. a lot. We’re planning a new bedroom for you and you are insistent that it is going to be dino themed. You also love Paw Patrol and in these last few months Octonauts.
Your highlights of the year have been going to Legoland, cycling your new bike, trips to the park, picnics and Christmas. You loved getting mummy wet on the log flume and there were lots of giggles! Just this past week you braved going out for a ride on Daddy’s paddleboard and next week you start swimming lessons. We have decided to start you off on some one-to-one lessons as we are not sure how you will cope with group lessons and as you love the water so much we have decided we don’t want to leave it any later until you learn how to swim.
Happy birthday Bodhi. We are so proud of you and how much you have grown and adapted this year. I am a little nervous about what school holds for you next year, but Daddy and I will be helping you every step of the way. Wishing you a wonderful day and year ahead.