Happy 5th birthday Jonah!

Happy 5th birthday Jonah! All parents say something similar when their child hits another birthday, but I can’t believe you’re turning 5 years old. Where did time go? This time of year is so special to me. The light of the longest days reminds me of that amazing time in my life around the time you were born.

Every year I write to you on your birthday. I talk about the emotions, but also about the little things that are so easy to forget with the passage of time.

I hope one day you’ll look back on my letters and smile!

I’ll level with you – being the eldest child can be hard. I’m the eldest too, so I really know it. I feel like I didn’t fully experience part of your childhood while caught up in Cara’s newborn years, and the mum guilt was real. But now that Cara is practically weaned and sleeping through the night, we’re getting more time together. We’ve really made up for lost time. And even though your dad is the fun parent who makes dens and builds lego, you still need me in a unique way – and I’m so glad.

Let’s talk about the lockdown. So much of your life has been dominated by lockdown, but you’ve always bounced right back. After the last lockdown ended, you were reluctant to go back to school. You had to make a new set of friends all over again, but you did it! And I hope these friendships bring you so much joy.

Now, you only have 5 weeks left at nursery, then 6 weeks until you’re at big school! What a milestone for you to reach – I am so excited for you!

We’re also really happy that you’re no longer under the care of the hospital who were observing you for signs of autism. And that the local speech and language service is so pleased with your progress since noticing you had a speech and language delay.

Now let’s look back at your fifth year and everything that made it important to you!

PS reader: I strongly advise you make a calendar with pictures because once your five year old starts school, there won’t be as many!

Trains, vans, cars & lego

Aside from family, the biggest love of your life is vehicles. You adore Union Pacific, the freight hauling railroad in the USA – and all their humongous freight trains.

Your favourite toys are model vans, emergency vehicles, Matchbox cars, Brio train track, lego, and duplo. Sometimes your practical life gets pushed aside due to your love of playing with toys! One day, you may be a diligent engineer or mechanic. Until then we’ll be reminding you of all the practical things you need to do when you’d rather be playing.

Your little sister is your partner in play and mischief!

It’s so good to see the love and fun you have with your little sister Cara!

Now she is headed towards 3 years old, there’s so much fun to be had chasing, bouncing, and being at the playground together. You love the “party car” with Uncle Nick.

And the rest of your family

You love your dad and your uncle so much, and come to them for rough play and naturally you look up to them as role models.

But you still love mummy for bedtime cuddles and when you’re poorly. Your grandmas have a special place in your heart.

Making us laugh

You come out with such funny and unexpected things, Jonah.

“Goodnight, goodneet, goodnit, good knitting needle”. We try not to laugh as it’s your bedtime, but it’s so hard not to!

Reading is fun!

Your interest in reading is starting to blossom. You love to observe road signs and warning signs, read out car brands, delivery van supermarket names, and more!

We read lovely long stories at bedtime. It’s parenting heaven for me!

Your playground skills have taken off

All of a sudden you’re climbing the largest towers in the playground!

Remembering how you struggled with gross motor skills as a toddler and seeing your confidence soar is a tonic to my soul!

Computer game joy

You really figured out how to play computer games – Mario is your favourite. But you also enjoy Minecraft, siren heads, zombies, and other things you are probably too young for.

Graveyards were a big thing

It seems a strange place for a 4 year old to enjoying visiting, but over the past year you’ve really enjoyed visiting graveyards, reading the graves, and talking about churches.

We also had an amazing Easter Egg hunt at Norton Church. I really hope we can continue our peaceful and relaxing graveyard visits!

The Henry Hoover phase

It didn’t last forever, but you were truly obsessed with Henry!

So much so we got you your own Henry Hoover!

Favourites!

Your favourite foods are pancakes, pizza, chicken noodles, and tuna sandwiches. Your favourite colours? Red and yellow, perhaps because of Union Pacific trains!

You love to bring me flowers

Thanks, for all the daisies, son.

I wish I could keep them forever.

Conversations

You are so curious, and sometimes so deep. Mummy, why do you have to die? Mummy, why do babies become toddlers, and toddlers become small children, and small children become big children, and big children become adults, and adults become old adults?

I love how you bring light to such existential questions that as an adult caught up in the day to day of life, it’s easy to forget about.

Happy 5th birthday Jonah! I love you so much, and I can’t wait for our next year together.

Love, from Mummy.