Miriam

I have a confession, Miriam. I have felt like you were four for about six months now, so my usual cry of "how can you possibly be four" is replaced with, "really, it's taken this long!?". I think it is a combination of you having quite a few friends who turned four in the summer and also that, for the most part, you are a very big grown up girl, who actually is quite mature for her years.  You are a beautiful girl inside and out and here is the birthday letter to tell you what that looks like right now.

We used to nickname you compliant child, during your time being three that kind of slid a little but that's ok, you were three! We see it coming back, though, you love helping.  Most days when we come home from nursery you pull up a chair and ask if you can help make lunch and if we do some baking you are more than happy to help clean the dishes.  You help mummy fetch and carry things round the house, you are a big help and that is an excellent thing to be :-)

It often catches me by surprise how different you are to your big sister, that's a failing of mine but we muddle our way through.  You are quite happy (mostly) to play by yourself, you like drawing and sticking.  Although if we're all honest, you love having someone to play with. You play beautifully with both your sisters and I think you like being both big and little. When you play with Lydia you help her play with her dollies (there's that helping streak again) and when you play with Naomi you are very good at joining in with all her imaginary stuff, you do a terribly convincing baby cry that has had me convinced (and confused) a number of times!

I guess this is part and parcel of being a middle child but you love the odd occasion when you get some one on one time with Mummy or Daddy, a wee hot chocolate after swimming goes a long way and I am truly sorry we can't do it more often, you are beautiful and precious and I want to build you up as much as I can.

You love being active, it maybe doesn't come all that naturally to you, sitting on a sofa will suit you fine but your favourite activities of the week are definitely jumping beans (you are the most enthusiastic child in that class by a long shot) and swimming. I am so proud of you in the swimming, you have really overcome the nervousness you had for the first few weeks :-)

By far your favourite place to be, though, is wherever Connie is. She is such a good friend to you and you to her.  You are beautifully loyal to her and that is a character trait that will serve you well in years to come. Your perfect day would be to play with Connie at nursery, play with Connie in the afternoon, have tea with Connie and then ideally have a sleepover with Connie.  You two will take over the world one day, I am sure! It's wonderful to have such a good friend, though, I love that you have one.

My prayer for you this year, as you get ready to start school, and become a big sister again and have to share Mummy and Daddy with yet another person (sorry!) is that you would start to realise how awesome you are and how awesome we think you are and how awesome God thinks you are.  I will be praying that this year will be the year that these words sink deep into your heart and you know exactly what you mean to Jesus.

A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.
                                                                                                                 John 10:10 (MSG)

Baby girl, I love you to an extent I never knew was possible, I love you more than words in a letter could ever adequately express and baby girl I am so proud of the child you are growing into. Well done.