From the Mother Side
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Things I want my daughters to know.

  1. I try my best. I don’t always get it right. In fact, sometimes I look at myself and think how am I allowed to take care of people? How am I a parent? Grown ups are meant to be parents. I don’t feel like a grown up, so when I get it wrong, I’m sorry. I’m just learning, too.
  2. I love you. Unconditionally. There are absolutely no conditions for my love.
  3. I need you, as much as you need me. Bringing up a newborn in a lockdown, then having another baby on the way out of another lockdown was a different experience. An unimaginable experience. I used to watch the news, hear the bad news and be glad I had you to cuddle, or another growing in my belly. And both of you found me this incredible community of friends. I can’t thank you enough for that.
  4. Having you has been my greatest achievement. Watching you learn things, or remember things, and get your own personality that’s a little me, a little Matt, but a lot yourself is just the best thing ever.
  5. I wish I’d had you younger. I just want to be with you both for as long as I can. I want to watch you become parents. I wan’t to watch your children become parents. But I’ll never tell you you’ve made a rod for your own back with anything. You do you.
  6. You are not a tree. If you don’t like where you are living, you can move. Even if that means away from me, you fly free little ladies.
  7. You always have a choice. Whether it’s who you love, or who you don’t – your choice matters.
  8. For every time I’ve said, “One minute I’m just -” I’m sorry. Time with you is fleeting. The saying, “Days are long but years are short” makes no sense, but somehow it’s so true.
  9. I’m your biggest fans. You’ll draw a line, but it’s not just a line. It’s an almost straight line that you say is also a frog. You bring me cakes and ice creams. You put babies to bed with such care. You make jokes. You’re actually funny. When you’re away at nursery, I talk about you. When you’re in bed, I write about you. When me and Matt have time together we go over the funny things you’ve said, or who we think you’ll be in the future.
  10. I’m always here, and I’ll always listen. I’ll always be open and honest with you. And it’s not a “We don’t keep secrets in this house” house. Because sometimes you might, but I want you to know you can tell me them, if you want to.

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