STOP GROWING UP - Cooper is 5

Dear Cooper,

Little man you must slow down! Just stop growing up!

You are 5!
 F-I-V-E – ARGGGHHHHH! You aren’t my sweet baby boy, you’ve out grown that turbulent toddler phase, in some aspects you aren’t even a little boy any more….. you are a boy, school aged and rearing to go.

Let’s see, words to describe you at this age: Confident, Smart, Caring, Sweet, Obedient, Comedic, Eager, Strong, Brave, Physical and yet you can still be shy.

You are a joy to be around. You have such an amazing little personality that it’s infectious in its nature just like that dimply smile.

This year you have flourished at pre-school. I can’t even begin to tell you how proud I am of you, not only for being a great student but for being a wonderful role model to your wild sister. You calm her in a way that sometimes I can’t and you care for her and all your friends so fiercely and with such protection it’s easy to see why you are so popular with other kids.

 You are so brave. In 6 months I’ve seen you learn to fly! You and your BMX at the top of that start hill – wow, my heart almost skips a beat when I watch you. I’m your biggest fan, and hopefully one day that won’t sound as awful as you think it does now!  This year you even decided to play soccer, and wouldn’t you know it you’re a natural at that too!

 
You and your dad have a really special bond. Watching you admire him is wonderful, but watching him admire you is better. No one will ever be there for you the way your dad will be.
 

Your hands while not so little still hold mine every chance they get. You still love to snuggle in bed with me on weekend mornings. You still nestle into my chest when you are sad and I wrap you up in my arms.  Your arms though, now they reach further around my back with every hug. You are getting so big. You still kiss my lips with pride at every school morning drop off – I wish that that would never change, but it will. This next 12 months is huge for you. You’ll start at St Matthews in February and I can guarantee you now I’ll be a mess of emotions as you so calmly and confidently wave goodbye to me on your first day.

Writing this I start to miss you already. I start to miss the things I know are going to change over the next 10 years. I start to miss my baby boy, I start to miss my turbulent toddler, and I miss the boy you haven’t even become yet because I know those days are coming.

We love you Cooper. We love you and we are proud of you. ALWAYS.

 

At 5:

Height: 119cm

Weight: 22kgs

Teeth: thankfully you still have all of them

You love: BMX, soccer, Lego and TMNT

You Can: write your name and spell it out loud. You can read sight words like The, mum, dad, at, yes, no and at. You can write numbers and letters. You can swim to save yourself.

Favourite food: scotch fillet steak with mash potato and gravy, lamb cutlets or curried sausages

Dislikes: capsicum and mum applying your sunscreen

Best Friends: Riley Tank, Pax Cawell, Liam Ward, Ben Grelec

Biggest event this year: Racing at BMX and receiving a trophy from BMX World Champ Caroline Buchanan.

Favourite Memory: Holidays at Forster

wild child Zoe

YOU ARE THREE!


They say that "strong willed children become adults who will change the world as long as we can hang on for the ride and resist the temptation to "tame" the spirit out of them" All I know is that I hope the change you make is phenomenal, because you have more spirit than I know how to tame.


Your Dad and I couldn't be more proud of you, or your personality. This past year you have taught me the value of patience and exactly how to render a man useless with a sly cheeky smile from big blue eye to big blue eye (or at least I've learnt that if you are to be disciplined that I have to do it, because butter wouldn't melt in your mouth to your father).


I love your cheeky grin, I love your independence, I love your enthusiasm, I love you.


In this past year, you toilet trained. Without me even realising I had changed my very last nappy, you'd decided enough was enough, and you were big enough to wear proper underwear.


Three for you looks like princess dresses and wearing all your "pretties" at once. It's getting your ears pierced and picking out the most expensive sterling silver earrings on the rack, but of course who could say no to those eyes. It's watching mummy get ready for work every morning and demanding your own lip gloss before leaving the house. It's throwing a tantrum if someone tries to put anything but a dress on you for the day.... and it can't be any old dress, it MUST twirl. It's squealing with excitement, it's singing and dancing and twirling until dizzy.


Three for you is driving your brother crazy with your ever changing demands and rules for games. It's being bossy even though you are younger. It's losing a battle and storming off to desperately throw yourself onto your bed in tears,  just like real princesses do in the movies.


Three for you is clever. You darling girl are smart, and I hope underneath all your frills, bows, curls and pretties you know that smart is more important. I hope, despite it's difficulties for me right now that into adulthood you remain as independent, strong willed, free spirited and as brave as you are at three.


Three for you is talk talk talk talk talk. Three for you is telling Cooper not to talk because you are.


You are loved Zoe. You are our very special little lady. Your brother adores you, your father is besotted by you and I couldn't be more proud of exactly who you are.

At 3:
You love: your family, singing, dancing, dresses, berries, your babies, shopkins (thanks Aunty Kate) driving Cooper crazy and being the leader.
Your best friend is: Sophia, you two are trouble if ever I saw it!
You can count to 20, can recognise the letters of your name
You hate: being told what to do, losing and boogers.
You still have 3 baby teeth left to come through
Your favourite movie is Frozen
Your favourite memory this year is: going to the holiday house (and hurting your back) or so you keep telling everyone