My precious, beautiful SIX year old.

I can't believe you are six. SIX! How can you have been here for that long? How can you have been making this world a better place for nearly this long. A whole six years.

Naomi, you are such a bundle of energy.  You never stop. I mean NEVER. You wriggle, you wiggle, you a jiggle and you just never stop. I will admit that I find it tiring to be around your wiggling but I love your zest for life and your throwing-yourself-into-everything attitude. Life is certainly never boring with you around and you keep us on our toes.  Please never stop doing that (although let me have the occasional cup of tea!). I love to go running with you, I think you are a bit ambivalent about running, we'll do it you want to (which mainly seems to be if there is a medal at the end, a girl after my own heart) but I love spending time with you regardless.

I have been so proud of you this year, you have done a lot of growing up and a lot of maturing. You are coping so much better with things that would have left you quite unsettled before and I am proud that you are learning to trust Mummy and Daddy when we say it will be ok.  You are an especially good big sister, you love to help Lydia get dressed or Miriam cut something up and you love to show your little sisters how to do things to help Mummy when we are busy.  I am very excited about letting you help with the baby when it comes as I know you will be a big help to me and you have learned a lot about being gentle and careful since Lydia came along!

You still love all things craft. If it can be stuck, painted, glued, taped, glittered or coloured then you are in your element.  My recycling bin is looking forward to you learning to cut a shape from the edge of a piece of paper but I absolutely love watching your creative flair.  You are particularly into designing clothes and outfits and you are very good at it too. I am sure my scarves never look as good as when you have fashioned them into a dress for yourself!  I am quite sure you are going to end up as a designer of some description and with talent like this now there is absolutely no reason why not.

Baking and cooking is another love, we don't get to do it so much now you are at school. I should make more time for it, I am sorry. I think you love that it is essentially messy play with a snack at the end, I couldn't agree more.  Good choice.

You are definitely a people person, you would choose to have friends with you all the time if you could. You seem to bring people together and what a wonderful skill that is. I'm pleased you are going to have lots of siblings because it means you will always have a playmate on hand. I love watching you with your friends, you always seem to be having a fantastic time. Beign good with people will take you far in life, my girl.

Naomi Jane Maimie Brownlee, you are my precious, beautiful six year old daughter and this year has so much excitement ahead.  Becoming a big sister (again!), making our new house a home, learning new things, getting better at things we already do and I know you will do it all with enthusiasm and take the rest of us along with you. Love you so much baby girl (I know you are six but you will ALWAYS be my baby).

As you grow this year and as your love of creating continues, I pray that you will always know this in your heart.

For you created my inmost being;

    you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

    your works are wonderful,

    I know that full well. 

My frame was not hidden from you

    when I was made in the secret place,

    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 

Your eyes saw my unformed body;

    all the days ordained for me were written in your book

    before one of them came to be. 

How precious to me are your thoughts, God!

    How vast is the sum of them! 

Were I to count them,

    they would outnumber the grains of sand –

    when I awake, I am still with you.

Psalm 139:13-18