Someone turns 4 today!

Dear Ane,

First of all, happy birthday! You are four years old today and every inch a little girl. My baby is completely gone, and has been replaced by a bright, beautiful preschooler whose developing personality is both a joy and a challenge to keep up with.

You have fully embraced the concept of feelings. You can express to me so clearly what you are feeling – not just by your facial expressions (which are often comical), but in your own words (“I am so fruster-rated, Mommy!”). While the world of feelings seems to have opened up to you, it only rarely occurs to you that other people have feelings, too. We’re working on that, as well as your idea of sharing – which means letting you play with other people’s things, but not vice versa. Again, we’re working on that.

You are very bright. You have a sharp mind and a steel trap of a memory, which I know you get from me, and I got straight from Grandma. Those Cubbie patches on your vest are a testament to your ability to memorize and learn and recite. You are starting to recognize and read whole words – again, something I know you got from me – and while this is a good thing, you have an awareness that “letters have sounds” and have been exploring the world of phonics. You love your books, and are learning so many songs from school and Sunday School that I can hardly keep up with the new ones. Your imagination has blossomed, right down to your imaginary horse, Trigger, and your imaginary friend, Laura (so named after Laura Ingalls Wilder). You dress up in your princess costumes (now aided by Grandma and Gichan’s Christmas present of 6 pairs of Disney Princess shoes) and love the fact that you have a Princess calendar up in your room right now.

I’m beginning to get a handle on your personality. You are very strong-willed, which we’ve known for a long time (you didn’t start out that way, kiddo). But now we’re beginning to see how you come by it. You are a perceiver. You can instinctively tell right from wrong in other people, but fail to see it in yourself. I’ll give you a pass for now – you’re only 4, after all. You are also an admininstrator. You LOVE to tell people what to do and how to do it. You are a natural leader. Even your classmates follow your lead, and your teachers call you their “little teacher.” Somehow, you have enough authority among your peers that they listen to you. I’ll let you in on a little secret, sweetie. Mommy and Daddy are on to you, and we are in charge. You don’t make it easy for us, but if we don’t handle you now, it will hurt worse for us all later.

This isn’t to say that you don’t have a soft, loving side. You do love us, your extended family, and sometimes even your brother. You instinctively feel bad for other kids when they are hurt (and you didn’t cause it), and reach out to them. You are a friendly little soul with a desire to help, but you have yet to learn that not everyone needs your help, even when you think they do. You love hard, and react accordingly.

In short, my precious daughter, you are human. You have strengths and flaws just like the rest of us. And since you’re not a baby anymore, the results of those strengths and the consequences of those flaws are going to be more apparent to me every single day of your life. I pray a lot for you, sweetie. Only God knows how you will turn out, but I’m praying for the wisdom to help you get there every day, one day at a time.

Oh, and please don’t give up your naps yet. You have no idea what you are like without a nap. Just please, take one – you’ll feel so much better.

I love you with all my heart, Ane. Happy 4th Birthday!

Love,
Mommy

I think this picture pretty much sums her up, don’t you? Note the pink Sleeping Beauty heeled shoes. Also note the ready stance and solid grip on her lightsaber (courtesy of Uncle Captain). Would you want to mess with her? 🙂

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 27th, 2007 at 2:22 am and is filed under Children.
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