Dear Lilia;

Happy New Year my beautiful little girl. This has been the first year we have spent together all the way through, and it will be our second New Year to celebrate together. I am writing this as a thank you, for being in my life. I don't know where I would be without you. Thank you for being such an amazing daughter, a good girl, and an even better big sister. You are honestly one of the greatest human beings on this earth, and you are all mine. I am looking forward to 2013, where we can all be together as a complete family, and I am also looking forward to all the other new years to come. Even though you will be in bed by the time we enter the next year, I am glad for you to be here with me to go into it. When you are older I understand that you will be living your own life, that you will want to go out and celebrate it with friends or boyfriends rather than with your mother, so I will make the most of now. When you hit the stage of not wanting much to do with me I will take it on the chin, because I know that eventually the day will come when you will want to spend time with me again. When you will fully appreciate me for being your mother, when you will realise all that I have done for you. I know that you won't until you become a mother yourself, so until then I will just wait patiently. Words cannot describe how grateful I am to have you in my life. I started writing this letter with full intention to tell you how wonderful you are and how much I love you, but I simply cannot put it into words. I will tell you every day, remind you every night, and you will always know that even if the whole world walks out on you.. Your mummy will always be right here. I grew you in my tummy from a microscopic egg into an actual person. A teeny 7lb 11.5oz baby. I am so damn proud that I did that. 2013 is going to be such an amazing year for us beautiful, I promise you that not only as your mother but as your best friend too. I am going to do my very best to make sure that the year that begins tomorrow will be a year that you deserve, and you deserve the best. Sure, there are going to be some tough times in the year to come, but just one look at your gorgeous, smiley, face and I know that it'll all be worth it. The biggest ups I will have in 2013 will come from you and your brother. One of the biggest events in 2012 we shared was your first ever birthday. I wish I could have made it more special for you but nevermind, there is always your second, third, fourth, fifth, and so on.. 2012 also brought you your first easter. Not only that, but it was the year you became a big sister. And a brilliant one you are. I am so excited to see the new year in with you (in bed, but still, ha ha) and to make it our best year yet. Good things are gonna happen baby, I promise!

I love you. Forever and always,

Your Mummy xxx