A little loving ritual for mama’s (& papa’s!)

Every year, on the eve of my sweeet babes’ birthdays (after the cake has been made and the birthday table laid out) I plod upstairs with a sheet of paper and an envelope. I sit up in bed and I start to write…

I think of the birthday boy or girl…what I remember of them in the year they have just lived, the funny stories, what they are into, the milestones they have crossed…my memories and how I feel when I think about them. Then I put the letter in an envelope and address it “To ….. on the eve of your ….th birthday“.  And it goes into a memory box for them to discover in future years.

I don’t know why I started this. Its just something I did instinctively on the eve of my daughters first birthday because I was so full of feelings about her first year and reminiscence about her birth that I just had to pour it out. And so this ritual began.

I do it because I just don’t want to forget the details, the little things that make up this amazing journey of childhood-parenthood that we are on together. I do it because I imagine that one day, it will be meaningful for them to sit and read words about what they were like as little ones. Can you imagine what a gift it would be to have 18 letters like this, one for each year of your life?

Last Friday, my sweet baby boy turned 4. Our home has been hosting two bouts of chicken pox (all done now – phew!) so we had to rejig the birthday plans – and after watching a real princess being made (!) many of us gathered in the back garden, adorned with metres and metres of bunting for lots of fun and eating and singing to celebrate the day our beautiful Toby came to us.

Extra sweet was the little note I found taped to the dining room floor by daddy, to mark the spot where Toby splashed into the world!

9 Responses to “A little loving ritual for mama’s (& papa’s!)”

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  1. Em says:

    What a special idea that is..your children will have a gift to treasure forever when they grow up.
    Hope all the chicken poxy-ness has gone away its horrible isn't it 🙁
    Em xxxxxx

  2. Concetta says:

    Hi Em, fortunately despite lots of spots, they seemed to cope with it quite well. I'm just relieved its done as it sort of looms over you…! Hope you are well up North!

  3. get stuff done says:

    such a gorgeous idea. and I have said it before, and will no doubt forget it at the time of my one and only's birthday. and read something like this again and thing, oh, what a beautiful idea…. and remember again. It is truly beautiful and your children are blessed to have such a wonderful mummy. xxxx inspirational stuff lovely lady

  4. Dana Barbieri says:

    I do the EXACT same thing! I look forward to them reading the letters when they are old enough. I want to read them as well, since no doubt I won't remember all of the details.
    Enjoy the weekend.
    xo

  5. Concetta says:

    That' so funny Dana! When is your son's birthday Moyra?

  6. AG Ambroult says:

    well that is just about the sweetest thing I have ever heard! I only wish I had done if from the start. But I suppose it's never too late…
    I'll start in two weeks, on the eve of Lucy's 9th!

    and to have the exact spot where he was born is SO very cool. 🙂

  7. Linda Smith says:

    I have started writing about The Family for my children and grandchildren to read in the future, and I love your idea of writing pre-birthday notes and putting them in an envelope for later on. My sons are in their 40’s now so perhaps for when they are 50!

Trackbacks

  1. […] On the eve of her birthday, for the 6th time I sat and wrote to her, a letter about my memories of her from her last year, what she is like, what I feel towards her. It is now a precious ritual that I do with both of my children. You can read more about it here. […]