Thursday 4 May 2017

Dear Ethan... as you turn four

Dear Ethan, it's been such a long time since I last wrote a letter to you. The last one was written when you were two years nine months, and now, as of tomorrow, you will be four. FOUR.


It's an age you've been ready for for some time I think. You know you're going to be four, and can count it on your fingers, and you also know that being four is quite a big thing to be. Because you will be going to school. In just over four months time.

Daddy and I took you to see your new school briefly this week, to drop in our acceptance letter, and you were excited to see the playground. It's going to be quite a big step. You will miss your preschool days - you really do have such a great time with your friends and key workers, and the new building you get to play in now - but I don't think it'll take you too long to adapt. We get to go and see your school a couple of times, and meet your teachers and new classmates, before you actually start in September. Plenty for Mummy and Daddy to learn, new uniform to buy and a new weekly schedule to get used to. Your days will probably be quite a bit shorter than at the moment! We'll just have to talk about your uniform, and how you won't get to wear your choice of superhero each day...


You only wear nappies at bedtime - something you managed to crack, just like that, all of a sudden one day after a year of potty training. You're in size eight shoes but ready for nine's and we've started to update your wardrobe with 4-5 years pieces now that the weather is (hopefully) starting to get warmer. You weigh around two and a half stone. We measured you the other day and you are 104cm tall (catching us up), which is 13cm taller than you were when I last wrote you a letter - so suffice to say, a lot has changed!

And boy, have you.

Reading back over my last letter, I'm reminded of how far you have come and how really, you're your own person now. We have conversations together, you understand what we are talking about, rarely forget a thing and you pick up on or spot the smallest of details - and anything we say, you take quite literally! You call me Mummy Gorgeous, Daddy too, and talk all the time about how much you love us - never missing out the animals, naming each pet in turn. You cuddle us, the pets, your toys and remain very sociable and excitable too.


You still love your Disney, with Moana being your latest favourite, knowing all the words to the songs. Superheroes are still a big hit and recently you've also come to enjoy Trolls, Smurfs, Blaze, My Little Pony... as well as all your old favourites, like Toy Story.

Looking back at your routine and nothing has really changed - still a 7.15/30am wake up and an 8-9pm bedtime, although you are quicker to get to sleep now. You like the colour changing overhead light Daddy put in and if it's Mummy's turn, I let you watch Tinga Tales as you love animals and for some reason think this show is great for bedtime. We've started having sleepovers every so often, where the three of us get into Mummy-Daddy bed, as you call it, and watch a film with popcorn and chocolate. Usually it's Lego Batman, and last weekend you had one night with Daddy whilst Mummy was away, then another sleepover the next night when Mummy came back. And geez, do you wriggle and hog the bed! And snore! We can hear you through your bedroom door when we come up to bed ourselves. You really do enjoy your sleep and it's been a long time since you had night terrors or disturbed nights.


You really aren't much bother at all. Of course, like any three year old, you have your moments and you can get stroppy for no reason, decide you don't want dinner even though your demanding to eat something and there's times you do get really sad or don't want to listen. However, these all pass really quickly and you can be back to smiling within minutes, leaving us wondering what that was all about. You know how to test limits and how to test us, but all in all, you sleep well, eat well, play well and we are just so proud of you.

You ask lots of questions, always want to know more, love playing games by yourself but also ask us to be involved and in particular, you like figures of your favourite characters to play with and jigsaws. Jigsaws have become a big hobby for you of late and you can quickly put them together, not wanting any help - 'I do it Mummy!'.

You can dissolve into fits of giggles at the drop of your hat, finding tickles and your Daddy particularly funny - and the game where your Uncle Simon hides a Tsum Tsum toy and you have to guess which one. You like to sing and dance, which is why you love Trolls and reenact it when it's on; you can read us The Gruffalo word for word, not because you can read but because you know it by heart, and loved the Gruffalo Trail we went on; and you even like a spot of magic, having seen a magician once at a friend's party, saying 'Abracadabra, alacazam, hey presto!' and making something 'disdapear' before our very eyes. You even rode a pony before Christmas, called Magic, and you haven't forgotten her.


You really do make us smile and laugh every day. You are so sweet and affectionate too, and very thoughtful, noticing if someone around you is unwell and offering your teddies to help them feel better.

You say that we are your best friends (and Watson, and Sherlock, and Arty) and we feel the same about you - you are just wonderful to be around.

It's amazing to see the world through your eyes and we know that this next year is going to be four-some for you and for us.

Thank you for being such a kind, funny boy and for being my best buddy.

Love you always my sonshine.

Mama x

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