Sweeter with you

In between the drama of almost, and the saga of Merrily starting school, we had the most wonderful family holiday in the UK - sunshine, picnics in the park, full days at the playground, ice creams and water play, pond dipping, seeing loved ones, a festival with community singing, puppet shows, a juggler and fire circles, and the highlight for us all - a ride on a real steam train.

And all the time as I watched Aisling swing and laugh and run and play (oh how bright she is, how quickly she is developing) the sentiments of this poem ran through my head... so I wrote it down. And wanted to share it with you all - all who sent a text, a message, an email, a card, a present, left a comment, for each of you who have asked since how she is doing, how we are doing: this is how it is...

For Aisling, three weeks on from almost...

Your face has healed.
Not a mark or a sign.
And my hands no longer shake.

And so we had a break
Away.
As a family.
Complete.

And you know my love,
It was sweeter with you.

As we watched you dart around the ferry,
And took you out on deck again and again
Being careful not to
Hold you too close,
So you could feel the sway beneath your own feet,
The wind in your hair.

It was sweeter with you.

As we played in the park,
And camped in the rain.
Watched puppet shows,
And rode the choo-choo train,

It was sweeter with you,
My love,
So much sweeter with you.

With your bouncy curls,
And your cheeky grin,
You beautiful girl,
With your big brown eyes and your
Funny words.

It is sweeter with you,
My love,
So much sweeter with you.

You are the heart of our family
The almost, not quite.
Again and again,
Like a will-o-the-whisp.
You have chosen to stay.

So different in stature, persona and hair,
To your two elder siblings,
Who love you,
We love you, and granny does too,
And granma and grandad,
Just because you are you.
Your very own person,
Even though you're just two.

It is sweeter with you,
My love,
So much sweeter with you.