My Mother’s Day Letter to My Daughter

Girly, we’re in a lockdown in South Africa and it’s Mother’s Day.

This year you’ve already twice announced that it is Mother’s Day on two different occasions. I don’t mind – you made drawings for me those days.

At least once a month you announce that tomorrow is your birthday and then the next day we would celebrate your birthday – we then have to bake cup cakes or buy cake. [This is despite the fact that your birthday is in December.]

Anyway

This morning (on Mother’s Day) your grandmother told me she remembers the day I was born. We were in hospital – she had a C-Section – and a white dove with a few black spots on it, sat on the window sill. My mom thought that this means that something amazing will happen in my life.

The conversation took me back to the day you were born.

You were such a calm baby and the only time you cried was when another baby or babies in the ward, cried. It made me think: this child has a lot of empathy. Really because whenever another baby cried, you cried too.

Looking back vs now, you have a lot of empathy. You do not want me to kill insects.

You love animals a lot. Daily you want a parrot or cat or dog or mouse or raccoon (yup, you must have seen it on the TV). I did tell you though that you can’t have a raccoon as a pet. You even told me a few times that you want to be a Vet.

I remember a few weeks ago I wasn’t having a good night because I had stressed about work. You woke up during the night and told me “Mommy I’m here for you, I love you.” You then went back to sleep.

A few days ago you warmed my heart again when you told me: “I want to tell you something… I love you.”

Even in this lockdown, you don’t ask for much, you just ask us to play with you – with your favourite games being tag or hide-and-seek. We also try to involve you in activities like baking (during this lockdown period) – the other day you rolled your own dough and made your first bread. Well done!

You’re such a kind soul, you’re such a blessing to have. Thank you for being my sweet daughter. You’re the reason I set financial goals, you’re the reason I don’t mind putting in extra working hours.

I love you, not just on Mother’s Day but every day, every moment I love you.

And I love being your mom.