Now I’m not normally a sentimental kind of mummy, I try to sneak the majority of drawings and painting into the recycling as soon as I can get away with it, but I just had to share this lovely note I got from Belle last night.
She’d had a bit of a teary bedtime, apparently upset over the fact that I do so much for her and she is unable to pay me. I always do get the impression I’m looked on more as ‘the help’ than as an authority figure.
“But Mummy!” she sobbed and wailed, (she is a tad melodramatic), “You are sooo kind and caring and buy me books from Oxfam and sometimes I don’t even read them, I just leave them on the shelf, and I can’t buy you anything back!”
“It’s fine,” I reassured, “That’s what being a mummy is all about. When you are a mummy you will want to be kind and buy books for your children too.”
She ran off into her room and returned proffering her money box.
“Really,” I said, “it’s fine. I don’t need your money, I’m happy to look after you.”
So while she was in bed, and I was downstairs on the phone ignoring her, she made me this lovely card. I don’t know if it’s the message that made me smile as much as the turn of phrase – affectionate yet practical:
I even managed to bite my tongue and not point out the errant apostrophe, which I think just proves how touched I was.
So sweet! I get those kinds of cute misspelt offerings sometimes and always keep them.
I voted for you again since you were offering hob nobs. I like the chocolate plus caramel ones i’m just sayin
I really should keep more of them, but I just get so many. I have a nice one in my office of me and her drawn in a heart saying ‘I love you (so much) (very much) (invintey and beyond!)’ :-)
Hob nob preference duly noted.
Sorry but that is just appalling parenting, absolutely appalling. I simply could not let this pass unnoticed.
Just to get this right – you didn’t correct the errant apostophe?
Poor Belle is doomed, DOOMED.
Oh I know! I really really wanted to, but I’m forever being hyper-critical, and when she told me she had spent half and hour organising her felt tip pens before she even started I just couldn’t bring myself to…
That is so funny. I laughed out loud, particularly about the errant apostrophe because I would have wanted to say something about that. Am highly impressed by your disciplined approach.
It is SO hard being a mum and wanting to correct everything. I have to stop myself taking over homework and craft projects as I just want them to be done Properly and Nicely.
Now you put that somewhere really special and when shitty life gets in the way and makes you weep pull it out and remember you are a heroine, and you have your very own fan club. It works for me! :-)
I should shouldn’t I? I quite like the idea of being a heroine :-)
She’s done all the letters in different colours aswell, bless her. Ah… you’ve got to take these lovely mum moments where you can haven’t you. Because five minutes later, they’ll only be getting on your nerves again!
I know, it must have taken her ages! I really liked the rainbow felt tip colours.
OMG
TOO
CUTE
Ella’s letter to the Tooth Fairy last night began: “I am enclosing my tooth.”
ENCLOSING MY TOOTH?
Haha! Ella would have talked like that when she was two though! ‘Dear tooth fairy, please find attached an invoice for the enclosed tooth…’
My daughter (now rising 14) has always written me love notes too although, sadly, rather fewer these days and with rather less creative English. I’ve kept a lot of them but this one is my favourite (and picture it in her uneven five-year old handwriting):-
I hve ben nhave los of fun and I have ben etn los fo veshdbogshs and I hve bin lufing My hedoff.
(Translation:- I have been having lots of fun and I have been eating lots of vegetables and I have been laughing my head off.)
Then there’s the amazing Mother’s Day card she made when she was about 9 or 10, telling me how much they (she and her elder brother by 4 years) loved me and ‘are right behind me every step I take’.
All priceless – I’ll treasure them all for always.
I love the idea of a nine year old and her small brother being right behind you every step you take, that is so sweet. Plus I am lufing My hedoff at the other note :-)
She is too cute!! We also recycle a lot of pictures and random school stuff!!!
They produce forest loads of the stuff don’t they? If I kept everything I’d need an extra bedroom.
Oh, that’s beautiful!
I love it when Little Man does things like that. :D
It makes all the tantrums worthwhile doesn’t it? :-)
Gorgeous post, I am smiley from ear to ear! I’ve kept all my daughter’s love notes to warm my heart in my old age! Lovely.
I do have them in random places around the house, but I think I might be inspired to start a special mummy treasure box to comfort me when they leave home and forget about me :-)
Awww, that’s gorgeous!
*beams with motherly pride*
This is lovely and will be more lovely with age. I have a peice of writing my brother wrote for school when he was a similar age all about me his little sister, it was is very Charlie and Lola!
He past away 16 years ago and it means to world to me.
That sounds so lovely – what a fantastic personal thing to have to remember him with. x
lol and awww! That’s fantastic :)
I am such a lucky mummy :-)
you need to keep this post to show her when she is fourteen and think us mums are the cause of all evil!!! It’s moments like this that make us realise how lucky we are…lovely Belle….
Well I do have a fourteen year old too, and I’m not sure presenting her with such evidence would crack her!
Oh that is just gorgeous. I love the bit about having to go to school! Thanks for including it in the carnival.
My pleasure! I thought it was a lovely ‘mummy’ type post, so I hope people enjoy it.
This is so lovely. I’m going to force pen and paper onto my toddlers on a daily basis until they write me a love letter!
I do thinks like buy Belle notelets and letter writing sets for brithdays and Christmas – I find that works well.
Awwww, so sweet. My seven year old is always leaving me notes…on the door mat if I’ve gone out and on my pillow. :0)
That lovely, I keep all the notes that Top Ender sends me in a little box under my bed. I love to think that one day she will read them all to her little girl.
I have an old suitcase in a cupboard full of notes, cards and first curls of hair :-)
My 6 yo left a postcard on my pillow saying I love you mum. With kisses too. Made me all blubby!