A Birthday Letter

My darling daughter,

Today is your third birthday. I can hardly believe that it’s been three years since you came into this world (four days late! Sorry, I promise to stop harping on that, oh, when you have a baby that shows up late) and made me a mommy. I can’t thank you enough. I love being your mom. Sometimes, you drive me crazy, you test my patience and your own limits, but sometimes I can see a glimmer of the girl you’re turning into and the woman you may become.

Your vocabulary is impressive and your ability to express yourself has grown in leaps and bounds this past year. You have gone all the way from needing diapers to throwing me out of the bathroom, saying, “Just leave me alone, Mommy – I need my privacy!” You have a grasp on what emotions are, often asking if I’m happy or angry or sad. While you love your TV time with Muppets and Veggies and Mr. Rogers, it seems that we’ve managed to cultivate in you a love of books that makes me proud. In fact, one of the worst punishments we can inflict on you is to not read to you at bedtime. Your imagination is blossoming, as I see you start to color more than just scribbles on a page, play with your dollhouse and its contents as if it was your own little world, and the ideas that you are able to express to me.

Now, we still need to work on the concept of sharing, not hitting your brother when you’re mad at him, taking turns at activities or with toys, and just the general idea of playing nicely with others, but when I can leave the room because you, the Brain and Head are all playing together, and I don’t have to come running back in two minutes because you’re sitting on one of them and they’re screaming bloody murder, I know progress is being made. The last time you all played together, it took seven minutes for you to sit on the Brain. Things are improving!

I love seeing your enthusiasm for Sunday School. I know that the big draw is the Play-Doh, but I know that you love going to class, singing, coloring, and so far, you’re behaving pretty well. In fact, you’re doing so well in that kind of environment that we’re probably going to put you into preschool next fall. I know that you’ll love it. I love how friendly you are to other kids, and how easily you talk to people (even grown-ups) and how you are totally unaware of how happy you make other people feel when you talk to them in your sweet little voice.

I love that you are becoming a bit of a girly girl. That ballerina tutu that your Nana made for you this Christmas is going to get a workout, if last night was any indicator. You have become very attached to your new dolly, and the novelty of dressing her up in clothes. You often complain about getting your hair brushed, but you sit still for me when I French-braid your hair, and there is nothing you love more than to be told how pretty you look. Unless it’s being told how smart you are. I know that you love hearing those two compliments, because those are the ones that you repeat back to me often.

Even with the melodrama, the stubbornness, and the tantrums, I still love you, because in all of those moments, I know for sure that you’re mine.

Happy 3rd Birthday, Ane. I love you so very much.

Love,
Mommy

Note the French braids in this picture!

Tomorrow, there will be more Christmas photos which include Tad… I promise!

(Oh, so you want to know who won the contest? Well, as of today, the Munchkin will be known as Ane [pronounced AH-neh] which is the informal Japanese word for “older sister.” I had lots of good entries to mull over and think about, but I just couldn’t settle on one aspect of her personality to highlight in her psuedonym. And believe me, I tried. So I decided to use a name that would reflect her status within our family, and the idea of using a Japanese term won the day. Therefore, because he was the only one who suggested using a Japanese word, Matthew gets the credit for the idea and wins the $10 Starbucks gift card! Thanks to all who gave their input, and congratulations to Matthew!)

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 27th, 2006 at 1:14 am and is filed under Children, Mommyhood.
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