A letter to my daughter on your tenth birthday
Sofia,
It’s been three years since I wrote you a ‘milestone letter’, but as you approach double digits I thought I’d put pen to paper again (literally – I write my posts by hand before typing them up. I’m really old school)
At seven years old I wrote about your fascination of Nutbrown, fake nails, YouTube and crisps. Nothing much has changed really! Apart from how you still love all of those things but you do them with even more sass, attitude and eye rolling!
Fast forward and it’s hard to believe that I have been your mummy for a decade. I still remember the day we met like it was just yesterday.
Those very early days of adjusting to life as a first time mummy and everything that involves fills me with total dread as I remember, but also immense joy at how far we have both come. I mean, you sleep now so that’s always going to be a bonus.
Being a first child is a real seesaw of emotion for you and we see this in you a lot. In many ways, you think your younger brother ‘gets spoilt’ but you have to remember you had three years of undivided love and attention from all of us. Arlo has always had to share; he has no idea what it’s like to have undivided attention. Not that I think he’d enjoy it, it would get in the way of his Minecraft and Football too much!
We are very similar in personality and honestly, you drive me absolutely crazy, I’m sure it’s because you have got the worst parts of me. I often put you to bed and then feel guilty that I have said something that may end up with you in therapy when you’re older. On other days you are such good company and a real joy to be around. I’m putting it down to our clash of hormones at various times of the month.
You are totally obsessed with anything to do with Disney’s Stitch, 90% of your wardrobe is dedicated to Stitch merch, and when you’re not wearing Stitch you are sleeping in it, cuddling it and hanging it from your school bag. TikTok and make up are your other obsessions. You can contour like a champ and you have your finger on the pulse when it comes to every single skincare brand’s lotions and potions. You have so much patience doing your hair and trying out different techniques and styles and get frustrated that I can’t do double dutch, LOLS.
At ten, I was climbing trees. At ten you are climbing the walls to get to Sephora whenever you can. Infact that’s your birthday treat this year and you are buzzing with excitement at hitting the heady heights of Westfield for the day. If truth be told, so am I 😉
We’ve just finished watching ‘The Traitors S2’ together which was so lovely; watching something that we both enjoyed was a proper mum moment for me. We also recently went to the cinema together to watch ‘Mean Girls’ (you can’t sit with us…) I think we’re both just secretly there for the Ice Blasts and Popcorn combo trays. We both love a snack and especially crisps.. defo a chip off the old block there. Much to Daddy’s dismay!
Personally, I’ve found this age tricky. You’re not just a little girl any more but you’re not grown up enough yet either. Your friends have started to get smartphone and you have your Uncle Tom’s old iphone with no SIM card or phone number. As a parent, it’s hard to let you go and not feel like you’re being left out of the ‘latest thing’ with your friends whilst also being realistic that a phone at your age isn’t a wise move. We’ve promised you that when we move you can have one with a SIM so you can Whatsapp and Facetime your friends.
Friends, you have definitely stuck with your girl gang and at times we see an attitude from you that we’d rather we didn’t but we have to take a deep breath and know that you’re just finding your feet and identity amongst all the other over hormonal ten year olds. It doesnt make it easier though! You and P are still like siblings, though she moved school at the end of Year 4, so for the first time since you were in education you were separated. Your comfort blanket was taken away for a while but you’ve found your feet again now and just enjoy fun catch ups when schedules allow. Who knew kids social lives were so hectic?
Your little bro, well the fascination of him wore off when he got more personality and didn’t do as you demanded anymore. There’s glimmers of love there but generally me and Daddy are just referee’ing your battles. Neither one of you back down first and both need to have the last word (or punch). Until you go somewhere new and you need Arlo to lead you into a new place and intro you in to potential new ally’s.
Academically, you are so disinterested. Not in a ‘naughty’ and disruptive way but more of a daydreaming, not interested, nothing goes in kind of way. Which as a parent, is tricky. We don’t expect you to be an A* student but we’d just like you to try your best and try. Sadly I think you’ve gotten so far behind that now it’s all just too much of a struggle. We’re keen to push you into your other endeavours and hobbies.
Every Saturday is ‘Diva Day’ which is where you go to Theatre School; singing, dancing and acting. Thursday’s is tutor and Brownies. Hobby wise you’re often prancing and dancing around, you love going swimming and we’ve discovered that you are absolutely amazing at climbing and free climbing. Like, totally fearless – we’re not quite sure where you get your love of heights from!
On the subject of heights, keep climbing my darling. The world is your oyster and I want you to grab it with both hands.
To the moon and back,
Mummy xox
