Flea is seven.

But only for another day or two.

It’s true. My girl is turning eight. EIGHT. How the jimminy did that happen?  It barely seems five minutes ago I woke up from the anaesthetic and asked my husband why he was holding that baby.

Seven has been a great year.

  • Seven is the year Flea decided she wanted to walk into school on her own, and ride her bike round the block without any help from me, thanks very much.
  • Seven is the year she discovered fantasy books, and started devouring graphic novels and young adult fiction.
  • Seven is the year Flea refused to eat tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, ketchup, herbs, spices and potato. But devoured calamari, prawns and mille feuille without blinking.
  • Seven is the year Flea wrote her first three novels, and started her own blog. Which gets more traffic than mine, some days.
  • Seven is the year Flea visited Disneyland, rode camels in Jordan, and learned to surf in France, and told me, “Everything we do makes me happy.” 
  • Seven is the year I lost my phone and scraped my car and both times Flea stroked my arm and said, “They’re just things, Mummy.” 

She’s big enough to be negotiating about going to the park on her own, but small enough to sneak into my bed for a cuddle. Grown up enough to choose her own outfits, but still small enough to believe there’s no such thing as an outfit with too many stripes. She can read The Mortal Instruments in a week on holiday, then come home and spend an entire day playing on the floor with Playmobil figures.

She’s amazing (to me).

There are many days I suspect I don’t do her justice. She deserves the whole world, and she makes do with me.

But then every so often I look up, and I see a kid that’s just bursting at the seams with happy. And I feel very blessed indeed.

Happy birthday, Flea. Look at all the fun things we did when you were seven!

And because nobody says it better than Bob…

May God bless and keep you always 
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others 
And let others do for you
May you build a ladder to the stars 
And climb on every rung
May you stay forever young