Birthday Girl

Dear Miss L,
My baby girl, four today. FOUR!
How can it be four years since that icy dash to hospital? Since that ER episode which your delivery turned into?
You were born at around 7pm and we had to stay in the hospital. I didn't sleep a wink that first night. They took you away somewhere so I could get some sleep. But I lay there all night wide awake, overwhelmed by the suddenness and drama of your arrival into our lives.
Suddenly I had two children; two babies - Miss E was only 22 months old when you arrived!
It was a bit of a shock to the system but gradually you became you and I was smitten.
You're such a happy little girl; seeing the fun and joy in everything and passing on the fun and joy to everyone around you.
Your laugh is one of my favourite sounds in the world - you giggle, chuckle and scream with wonderful abandon.
And you laugh all the time. You love to make others laugh and you love to make yourself laugh.
You are very funny - your nonsense jokes, silly voices, the weird and wonderful faces you pull, pretty much everything you do!
You have always made your presence felt. Louder than your older sister, you are so expressive and wear your heart on your sleeve.
I love watching you when you don't know I'm watching, when you're playing with toys, watching TV, doing a puzzle or colouring. You do everything with such focus and determination.
You are happy to do your own thing, often taking yourself off somewhere to play.
But you're also happy to be near to us. As near as possible! You like to climb into our laps, snuggling in as close as you can. You offer kisses and cuddles all day long and you love stroking my arm or my face. I just have to hold out my arms and you will hurl yourself into them. Mummy Lovin'!
You are unhesitatingly affectionate, a wonderful trait.
You do have a temper and you're not shy to let us know you're unhappy!! I shouldn't laugh but your strops are spectacular - lots of screeching, flailing arms and righteous indignation. They're generally short lived and you can be cajoled into a smile pretty easily.
You have coped so well with the changes that we've had to make since discovering you have Coeliac Disease. You are so accepting and so grown up, always checking if something is "gluten". I'm sorry you have to deal with it; I wish I could spare you from anything that makes your life even a tiny bit harder.
You are a wonderful sister. It makes me so happy to see what good friends you and Miss E are and how you love being together.
I love you La La. More than you will ever know.
Happy Birthday Angel
xx