The first thing she said to Natalie this morning when they were still both in beds was: "do you know that TODAY is my birthday"?
When she was a baby, I was annoyed when people used to tell me to enjoy the moment, that she would grow up so fast... In fact they were right. When I see a woman with an infant nowadays, it touches me and I do have to remind myself that I too was a mother with an infant one day.
I like to tell Rachel stories about her when she was a baby and those stories stay with them, like the day Yossi came back from an interview and held his 2-week old baby who did not have a diaper.. You can just imagine what happened. Rachel still talks about it.
Rachel, you have reached so many goals this past year.
You are not the shy child you used to be. You love to play with your friends at school and daycare. You became the master teacher there and all the kids younger and your age gravitate around you, playing "school".
You have extended so many invitations to your friends that I can not find enough week-ends to accommodate all these requests, but I will, don't worry.
You asked me to spend more time together and we'll do that too - maybe before all these playdates take place.
The only playdates you used to have was with our friends' kids and neighbors. When you had your first playdate with a classmate (Caroline) a few months ago, I was amazed how well the two of you got along and how quiet it was in the house. When you asked to have another playdate and asked to have 3 friends (Delfina, Dunja and Katie) over, I was fine with it.
You refused to do ballet this year "it is for younger kids" and asked to do soccer instead. You did soccer after school and loved it. Now you will try basketball. You just started cooking classes with your former K teacher and yesterday was your first day, you had a lot of fun (on the menu was bananas covered with chocolate).
You are sweet and still very nice with your sister Natalie and love to explain her many things; you play nicely together.
You share the same bedroom and do not like to fall asleep when sometimes she is downstairs with papa.
You discovered that you have a dog and love to pet her and feed her, to Heidi's greatest pleasure.
You love to write and make your own stories. We have many of your homemade books and I treasure them.
You get upset once in a while and when you decide to throw away a piece of artwork you just did, I am not that happy, but ... it is your choice.
A few times when I said no to something you wanted, you told me to leave you alone, to go away, that you did not like me. We had to put a stop to that and those bad moments are now behind us.
(I should maybe not mention that but it will make you smile when you read about it n a few years).
You are very special to us and we love you very much
Happy birthday ma grande cherie
Papa, Maman, Natalie
and Heidi.
