Dear Esther

In case you think I don’t love you

I do

Your beauty takes my breath away

I love the way you come and find me every morning

I love the way you ask every morning

Is it morning?

I love the way you are trying so hard to be a good girl

You have a very strong sense of right and wrong

I love your caring nature

Your adoration for your twin

You care about how others feel

And do not like to think anyone is being left out

I love that you love singing

And you are so good at making up songs

I love that you act out stories

And together with William make up new versions

Your latest being The Lion King 6

A version where you can do whatever you want

I love that when you act the film out

You are always Simba and William Nala

I love your love of being outside

I love the intricacy of your small world play

I love how you lose yourself in your imaginative play

I love the way you tell me stories

I love that you are starting to think about what you wear

That you ask so many questions about so many different things

I love how very girly you can be

How you love fairies and ponies and pretty things

I love the way you whisper answers to questions

I love that you love to cuddle me

The way you climb up onto my lap

All arms and legs and knotty blonde hair

I love it when I pretend to fall asleep on your bed

And I promise that one night I will stay with you the whole night through

I love our snatched moments together

Without the madness of William and the demands of Bea

I am looking forward to more times

Just you and me

I worry sometimes how sad you are

I watch you at the times you choose to play alone

I am sorry you know what death is

And have experienced such heartache so young

I am sorry I am often sad and a grump

I promise our best days are still to come

Please know that I love you

I would lay down my life for you

You are my eldest daughter

And I have loved you since before you were born

Dear Esther

In case you think I don’t love you

I do

Dear William

In case you think I don’t love you

I do

You and Polar Bear and Little Polar Bear

You with your loud voice

And your silly baby noises

You with your jokes and your constant chatting

Nonstop repetitive chatting

You drive me crazy in the best of ways

How I love you William

My gorgeous only son

I love your obsession with Thomas and trains

I love your curiosity and how you want to know how all things work

I love the way you shout out National Speed in the car

And what an enthusiastic back seat driver you are

You are clever and brave

Compassionate too

Wise beyond your years

And yet so very innocent

I love your remarkable memory

I love your quirky personality

I love that you are so emotional

That you cry at sad stories and films

You have such empathy for others

Makes me as proud as proud can be

I love your imagination

I love how kind and caring you are

How you look after Baby Bea

How possessive you are

Especially about trains

And yet you share so well with your sisters

I love the way you remember Matilda Mae

And still tell me you love her and miss her all the time

I love that you are so good at reading

Yet refuse to hold a pen and write

I love the ongoing questions

The narration of all you do

You are my funny little man

You

My World’s Strongest Engine enthusiast

You who loves to sleep not in your bed but on the floor

You who loves cuddles and extra cuddles

How do I love you?

More and more every minute of every day

In case you think I don’t love you William

I do I do I do

Dear Bea

In case you think I don’t love you

I do

You are such a beautiful baby

A fabulous giggle

A magic smile

You are so clever in so many ways

Our bringer of hope and joy

I love the way you cuddle me

Clamber up and snuggle in

I love your mischievous side

Your cheeky grin

Your determination to find the smallest thing on the floor

Put it to your mouth and stuff it in

I love your heavy limbed crawling

And you explore at such a pace

You are my favourite comedian

Fighting for your place among the family

I love that you have such a strong character

I love how much of Tilda I see in you

I love that you are entirely different

Increasingly independent

I love that you are you

I love your enthusiastic waving

Your clapping

Your touching your head

I love how you charm every single person that you meet

I love how much you need me

Even though you exhaust me

There is no where I would rather be

I love that you adore your Daddy

As obviously as you do

I love every little thing about you

Even the bits that make me cry

In case you think I don’t love you

Beautiful Rainbow Bea

I do

Dear David

In case you think I don’t love you

I do

I love you so much more than you know

So much more than I show

I love your strength

I love your patience

I love your understanding

I love your values

I love your creativity

I love your intelligence

I love your dedication

Determination

Your spirit and your fight

I love your loyalty

I love your family

I love all of you

And all you do

I just love you

I love you

I like you

I respect you

I hate to be without you

You are the heart of me

My soul mate

My husband

My best friend

I could not be without you

I am nothing without you

I won’t be anywhere without you

Totally lost without you around

When you are with me I feel complete

Without you I am missing

You know me better than I know me

Love me better than I love me

You are a better person than I’ll ever be

I am so grateful for you

For all of you

So thankful our children have you as their father

Their hero

Their Daddy

You inspire me every day

I adore you more every single day

In case you think I don’t love you David

I honestly truly do

In case you think I don’t love you

I do