People say "You look so tall
You're growing up
You're one of the tallest 3 year olds I know"
And so the comments go
And yes you are getting taller
And yes you are growing up
But today you fell off the toilet seat
For no apparent reason
And I thought to myself
Good, you might be getting taller
But you're still 3 years old
And you won't do that when you're grown up.
You still put your head in the arm hole
Of your T-shirt
You still fall to the floor and shout 
When you can't put a pen lid on
You still dress up as Cotton Tail
And eat dinner and chat 
As if it's the most normal thing ever
You still refuse to let me wash your hair
You still burst into tears
When your bottom and legs get stuck to the chair
Because you've decided to wear 
Nothing at breakfast
You still make up your own language 
And think it's the funniest thing ever
You still like singing the Spanish version
Of 'Let It Go' at the top of your voice
Running down the street in fairy wings
And a witch's dress and no pants
So please grow up slowly
And continue to fall off the toilet seat
Because I don't do that now
And I wish I still did. 

You shout out my name
The volume makes my ears ring
Unable to think.
You shout it again
This time louder and with force
“I’m doing a wee”
I shout down the stairs
“I just need a wee, hang on”
You shout out my name
Again
And
Again
And
Again
It sounds like you're ready to explode
I walk back down the stairs
Feeling anger bubbling away.
"You knew I was going to do a wee,
Why do you have to shout like that?"
"I want plaits in my hair today"
You say
And I have to remember, you are 3 
Living in the moment
Is really what you do
And what people spend a whole life time
Remembering how to do it
But it's very hard to think that
When all I needed was a wee.

No-one really mentioned patience
Before you came along
It wasn’t top 3 of people’s top tips
They seemed to miss out that one.

Why oh why I wonder
When patience is what I’m always after
Patience not just from anyone
But patience from a f***ing Saint.

Brushing teeth is fatal
A place where my patience dies
Getting you dressed is also a time
When patience finds a place to hide.

Putting footwear on for some reason is tricky
I look for patience but it’s gone
These are the times in the day, everyday
When it’s tricky me being the only one.

When I’m tired or hungry or just a bit low
When my patience is depleted 
It’s got nothing to show
That’s when I need a Saint to show 
With a seed of patience I can plant and grow.

When you’re finally in bed
At the end of a long day
I say I Love You and shut the door
Patience has long since drifted away.

I take a breath in and I breathe out slowly
I tumble down the stairs 
And say to no-one 
Please 
give 
me 
the patience 
of a 
f***ing 
Saint.