Dear PiePie,
You turn 4 today, and that means it has been 3 years to the day since I thought about writing you a series of letters for when you grow up. 3 years – it seems short in the grand scheme of things, but looking back, so much has changed in that time.
When I wrote that first letter, it was whilst we were trapped at home in the midst of a global pandemic. The trajectory of that pandemic was uncertain and thousands were dying by the day. We didn’t know how long we would need to stay stuck at home for. That first birthday, we ordered in some food, put up some decorations, and had a simple celebration at home.
Fast forward to your 4th birthday, we went to a large play gym with your cousins and played hard amidst a crowd of kids. It was business as usual in the world, as the pandemic fades behind the rear-view mirror and we worry about crowds in restaurants and at the airport. Life ebbs and flows, and meanders unpredictably, and soon, we have forgotten more than we can remember.
When I wrote that first letter, I had wanted to write weekly. That seems like a pretty foolish goal now. I’m lucky to keep a monthly schedule at the moment and goodness knows I’ll falter.
You’re now comfortable with school, having made some friends, and you’re better able to communicate what you want to express. You’re quick to whine, but also incredibly quick-witted. Some of your comebacks to our nagging are logical leaps to behold, and I continue to be amazed at how you’ve grown. You have blossomed beautifully.
Love, Dad