A letter to my girl for her third birthday, tomorrow

Hi Sweetie, This will have to be brief, as I hear you rattling around with your pretend doctor's kit and pretty soon I will be subjected to various poking and prodding because it's your new favourite toy. I know this is your favourite toy because now you declare LOUDLY whenever you like something that THIS IS MY FAVOURITE! A little of my genes are coming out, I think: the other day I walked by your room and you were sitting in the middle of the floor, legs crossed, resting your head on your hands. What are you doing? I asked. Only thinking, you said, and I left you to it. And you sat there for ages longer. I wish I knew what it was you were pondering. Actually, I probably know. Shoes and Clothes. You love shoes and clothes. Except when you decide to be a nudist. Two days ago, on the rare occasion you fall into bed exhausted for a nap during the day, you positively shouted, "I MUST GO TO BED NUDIE, ONLY NUDIE!" Bemused, I played along because this isn't the first time you've made such a demand, only to back out at the last minute, but this time you wriggled your bare little tush under the covers and snuggled down to sleep. Great, now if you take to naked sleeping, I feel like I shall next have to finance a tattoo, or paste up Nirvana posters on your wall, or ransack your drawers for contraband because, seriously, this is as fast as the time is going for me and you could be ten, eleven, fifteen years older in a click. And I'm loving it. And you. Love Mum