Dear Lucy

Dear Lucy,
I haven't noticed you growing up. I was looking back over some videos we took last year and I couldn't believe how little you looked. I had forgotten.  There you were at 2 and 3 and 4 with your chubby little hands and lovely round face. I guess when you are the eldest and there are those younger, you will always seem so grown up. But looking back you weren't and now I am clawing at time willing it to slow down because you ARE growing up so very fast.

You should know little girl that when it was just you, you without your brothers that we thought everything you did was worthy of a photo. It is because of the sheer volume of photos that I haven't finished your baby album. There are just too many to sort though.

I brought you lots of unisex clothes because I was aware that you were the first of a few Smith babies and I was trying to be cost efficient. Now that I know that you are my only girl, I wished I had dressed you in more frills.

You were and still are an amazingly deep sleeper and you slept through the night from about 8 weeks old.

You were so great at been left at Kindergarten. There were no tears, you understood that Mum would be leaving and you just walked in, hung your bag on it's hook and waved me goodbye. I was so proud as I watched children hanging off their Mum's legs but also hoped that I hadn't raised you to be too self reliant.   You were the same when you started at school this year. So confident and independent.

Your teacher tells me you are the top of the class in Maths. That she is amazed at how clever you are at numbers and your ability to do sums in your head. It seems that you have inherited your fathers mathematical brain but I love also how good you are at drawing. I like to think you have some of your creative flare from me. You have an amazing memory too and flawed everyone in church when you rattled off the memory verse up the front. Your Dad and I love thinking about what you will do with this brain of yours. We try to think up jobs you could do, I wonder where your life will lead you.

After a day around people you need some alone time so take yourself off to a bedroom and shut the door for at least an hour. We know not to interfere with this behaviour now, and not to be offended. That this is part of your personality and that you need some time alone to re charge.  This is often when you do some of your best artwork, or just take a snooze.

You should know Lucy that when you were 5 you were so responsible and a huge help to Mum. I love the way you love your brothers.  You always giggle when you see Baby Nathan and can't help kissing him all over. I'm like that with him too.

You share a room with Ollie and I know he is loud and messy and follows you everywhere but thank you for the way you choose each day to love him even though sometimes you don't like him. These brothers of yours will be a part of your life forever and will mean more to you than you realise.

You promised me tonight at bedtime that you would stop growing and stay this age forever. I wish you could keep that promise but I'm also excited about the beautiful woman you will become.

Love you Lucy Juicy Goosey Smith.