Dear Beautiful Girl - Now You Are 8

Dear Beautiful Girl

Wow, you're eight!

Your year of being seven has been full of growing up, of learning who you are and it has *mostly* been a pleasure to watch!

Sunset tutu

Your love of Harry Potter has continued to grow, and no, you're not allowed to watch the films after The Prisoner of Azkaban yet, they're  rated12 for a reason! This January we went to the Harry Potter Studios Tour near Watford and it was so much fun to watch you take it all in. I know you were nervous to start with, but I was so pleased that you decided to wear your Gryffindor uniform and put your hair down. You looked amazing and as if you belonged at Hogwarts!

The Hogwarts Bridge

You are feisty, opinionated and determined, which is great when you are doing something that you should be, but less good when you are refusing to do the work the teachers are asking you to do! Recently you have realised the love of reading, and it's amazing to watch how quickly you can devour a book! I absolutely love that you get how amazing a book can be. I hope you find it as relaxing as I do.

hoping for a strike

You continue to excel at karate. You're now a blue belt, and you have your next grading next month, when you'll hopefully become a purple belt. Then there's not that many belts until you're on your first black belt! I love how passionate you are about karate and you have made some fabulous friends there, which is wonderful to see.

blue belt karate grading

Back in September, we also discovered you are incredibly good at cross country running. You won your race against five other schools, and went to compete to run for our area. It was the first time you have ever tried running a long way, and you were so incredibly good at it. On the day, you did amazingly, coming eighth out of thirty runners, all of whom had done it before. You were upset with yourself for walking up a hill, but I was so impressed that you didn't give up and you kept on going!

In the picture below, yes, you have a kitchen sponge in your hand. For some reason you took it everywhere with you for a few days at the end of the summer. It even came up to the top of Helm Cragg in the Lake District with us!

Walking in the Lake District

More recently, you were picked to represent the year five and sixes for your school in the Athletics finals. You were the youngest child there and the only child from year three who was chosen. Your team came second, which was brilliant, especially as it was the first time the school have ever made it to the finals!

You love music, and love seeing bands perform live. I hope we'll be able to get to see a few more this year. I know you're holding out to see Olly Murs in Leeds. We'll see what we can do!

CBBC Summer Social

Your creativity has grown from strength to strength. I am constantly amazed at the creations you think up on the spot! Your latest thing is that you have designed two different cat beds, which both the cats absolutely adore! I also wish I had your talent of drawing what is in your head. I have never been able to draw something I can imagine!

drawing with chalk

Sometimes it can be difficult to be your mum. Not because of the reasons you are thinking, but because of other people's perceptions of you. I struggle with the fact that they can't see you who really are and I wish they would take a moment to actually get to know you rather than just judge you.

You are an incredible young girl. You're feisty, determined, independent and hugely creative.

I love you so much.

Love Mummy xxx