40 Months!

Mia,

August ended up being such a great month for us. We got to celebrate Amelia Day and since Dad is on a lighter rotation, we spent a lot of time together as a family. We just returned from a trip to Oregon to see our family, and boy did you enjoy that. Getting to see cousins, soak up grandparent time, staying up too late, and just generally running amuck eating grandma's fruit snacks to your hearts content, you loved it all. We are so blessed we were able to go home for such a long visit!

On Monday you will be starting pre-school. Eeeee! I have been trying to wrap my head around this all week. I keep telling myself it's still like daycare but you'll just have more structured learning, but the truth is, it will be very different. And you are more than ready. You are already trying to write your name by yourself. You are even trying to read, and have been for some time. I can feel that you are ready to be challenged and I'm hopeful that the new program will do that for you. We went for a tour of the school today and you got to see many of your friends that had already advanced. That was comforting as well as meeting your new, really cool, teachers. I liked the center immediately and am confident you will excel! I'm excited to see all the new things you get to do and learn! Apparently you are, too, because when I asked you in the car yesterday what was the thing you were most excited to learn at pre-school you thought about it and suddenly exclaim, "DRIVE!!!" hahaha! You can bet I had no idea that was coming!

My hours at work changed a couple of weeks ago and since then, you and I have gotten to spend extra time together. It has been so much fun! The time just flies by and before I know it, Daddy is coming home and the day is over. I remember when you were little and I stayed home with you for the first 15 months of your life. There were some lonnnng days in there, for sure. Now, though, you are independent and creative and so so so stinking funny. You are also my big helper now and you sure make chores much more enjoyable! Last week we baked some pies for friends who helped us. You and I made the crust together and something about that experience must have made an impact on you because you loved it and now constantly ask if we can make pie together. You help fold laundry, set the table, put the silverware away from the dishwasher, and help clean your room. When pre-school starts we will work on making your bed each morning and a few other things like making sure your bathroom hair things are put away in the drawer before we leave. I know you're ready!

Right now we are pretty much glued at the hip. You melt my heart as you so desperately want to be like me. You will say, Mom, can you have dairy? And I'll say, nope! Then you insist you can't have dairy either. If I tell you your favorite milk has dairy, you cry and cry and are absolutely inconsolable until we agree, Mia can't have dairy, just like Mom. Today when we were headed out to do the pre-school tour, I realized my jeans were way too long so I rolled the bottoms. Instantly, you bent down and rolled your stretch pants. If I want three of something, you need three too. It's kind of flattering and a little scary all at once haha!

I need to get back into the habit of writing down all the funny things you say and do each day. At lunch today for example, we were eating some dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets and you said, this one flies! I said, I think it's a Pterodactyl, but I'm not sure the names of the other ones. Right away you start listing off their names, pointing to each one: Ella, Ayva, Cora, Max.... lol it was pretty cute. You are still a great eater, and especially like vegetables. I am so grateful for this! Your favorites are broccoli, peas, green beans, cauliflower, tomatoes, carrots, and you'll eat celery and onion if they're in a soup. You do NOT like mushroom (if you see it in your food) but are generally able to try pretty much anything else. Oh, and you don't like "salad", meaning, lettuce, but you haven't tried it so I can't be certain on that one. I feel like you eat your other fruits and veggies so well, I'm not going to fight you on lettuce and mushrooms. Fruits are your favorites and you have liked everything we've given you. You are most at home in the orchard, and I love that. We picked pluots (about 150lbs!) a couple of weeks ago and the orcharder even commented on how content you seemed out there. The rule is, you can eat anything you pick, but you can't pick from Mom's bucket! You know this and are great at getting what you want and munching as we go. I adore seeing you out there, running between rows, juices dripping down your chin onto your dress, shoes long discarded. These are the things I will miss most about this last summer. You and I did more picking and were outside more than ever before. It was a mild summer with almost no fires and was ideal for all the activities we wanted to do. I'm grateful we had that time together!

I love you, my darling. Lately you have been so tender and will often come up to Daddy and I and give big hugs, a kiss, or say, "I love you!". Your enthusiasm for life is infectious and we look forward to our time with you every single day. Being your parents is a dream come true!

oxoxoxox
Mommy