For the last 2 years, you have been the baby. The little one. The smallest.
And now in the coming weeks, I am going to take that away from you.

I’m sorry my little Button.

I know its hard enough being the second baby without this happening too. Now you have to give up being the youngest to make room for a new baby.

You were not my first pregnancy, and I didn’t keep a pregnancy journal for you to look at. I don’t have a photo of my bump when you were in there. I’m sorry and hope you dont feel upset or think that you were not special. It’s because I wasn’t so focussed on the unknown parts of pregnancy, I focussed a lot on you – you being in there, you tumbling and rolling, squirming and hicupping. Things we will talk about together in years to come. Things I don’t need a photo of to remember.

Hand me downs can kind of suck too. Especially when your toys are trucks & cars and your high chair is kinda blue and some of your bibs said ‘Mummy’s little Man’. Sorry I didn’t spend the time making everything girly. But then again, you never seem bothered. And you are teaching me that materials are just that. And blue is just a colour. And girls can be whatever they want to be – mechanics or truck drivers – and be brilliant at it. You have shown me that happiness can be found in the simplest of things. What a great outlook you have on your world!

When your brother was born, I was on overdrive with tummy time, educational activities, sensory play……I admit that sometimes we barely get time to read a book together. Sometimes I am just so tired. Sometimes I spend so much time trying to help your brother with his additional needs, that you come second. I feel guilty. But you don’t treat me differently. You still light up when I walk into your room each morning. You still give me kisses. You still cry when I leave to go to the shop. You don’t love me any less. You help me see that I am a good mother, and that my best is good enough to you.

Thank you for everything that you have taught me in the last two years.
Thank you for making me laugh by doing silly things when the days were tough.
Thank you for being a daughter.
Thank you for being a sister.

You are the second child.
You are the middle child.
You are one of three.
It can be hard. I know.

But, always remember that Mammy’s heart doesnt work with numbers.
My heart has no sequence.
My heart has no middle or sides.
My heart has no special places.
My heart has an infinite space just for you and always will.

You will always be my daughter, my baby girl, my little Button, my best friend.
My little Aoibhínn. I love you.

And always will. 💖

Trish xx