For her birthday present, we're thinking of giving her three cats

Mum and wee Alyce, December 2007

Internet, please wish my mum a Happy Birthday. Technically mum's birthday was November 16 (yesterday), but seeing as my grandmother, the woman who gave birth to her, celebrated her birthday on November 17 for my mum's entire childhood (I just couldn't remember, it was late, my grandmother will tell you if you ask), I don't think she'll mind. I think a two-day birthday sounds just about right.

If you're ever looking for a mum who listens to all the things you have to say, who will support anything that might make you happy, and who will fly all the way to the moon and back if you needed her to, well, you can't have her. She's mine.

Happy Birthday, mum. How lucky I am, how lucky we all are, that you're always there to make the world kinder, more filled with joy, and an all-around lovelier place to be. All of those things that you do every day, we notice. We always notice.

Love,
danielle
matt
alyce
shira