Dear Lauren,

Your birthday also marks the number of years your dad and I have become parents. The number of years I’m a mother. I thought I know how to parent but really, it’s always been trial and error with you – the firstborn. You put up with my screw-ups and unrealistic expectations. And you try. You try to be the perfect daughter – always helping me around the house and be the big sister the way you know how – always giving in to Georgia, always shouting out, “Can someone please look after Will?”.

The thing is, dear daughter, you are perfect. I couldn’t ask for a better daughter because you are who you are – that spark inside you – always curious, always persevering, always loving and forgiving. I am so very very proud of you.

You went from a shy child to a confident young girl almost overnight, starting with thanking cab drivers, and now you could strike up a mini conversation with almost everyone. You are also always making new friends at the playgrounds, but you often forget to ask for their names.

You love drawing and colouring – everything in rainbow colours. Your favourite painting always includes a castle-like building which you say represent our home, all of us in a row from tall to short – daddy, mummy, Amor, Lauren, Georgia and Will. Sometimes, you forget Will or Amor but there is always a sun and a rainbow in the picture.

You are very loving. You say “I love you”s to us many times throughout the day and you always tell me that you miss me already before bedtime.

This year, you requested for a Shimmer & Shine themed party at the kindergarten. I wanted to do away with just a cake but you insisted that your friends should get goodie-bags. You smiled graciously when everyone in your class sang the happy birthday song to you and you thanked mummy and daddy profusely after the event.

I love you Lauren, more than words can say. Thank you for being my daughter.

Happy 5th birthday!

Love,

Mummy