41 months sweet

Amelia

I'm smiling as I type this because I really don't even know where to begin. You are such a joy to have in my life and are growing up so beautifully. I want you always to know how grateful I am for you, my sweet heart.

Some times you do something and I'm like, how did you think to do that?! haha, you keep me on my toes, that is for certain! Last week I was holding up my hand to give you a high five, I think for asking to get down after dinner and then taking your dishes to the counter, when you suddenly grab my hand and give me a big kiss right in the center of my palm! Then a smacking sound and a giggle and running away :) Or it was bedtime and you sure seemed thirsty. You kept asking for more water and so I commented, sort of absent mindedly really, hmmm, did we not water you enough today? And seriously without a second's pause you answer, Mom! I am NOT a plant!! Or when it's bath time and we are having a difference in opinion about it, if I say, let's have a tea party! you suddenly gasp! turn around, and run towards your bathroom stripping all along the way, you are so excited. More often than not, we don't end up having a tea party, but it cracks me up how jubilant you become at the mere thought!

You have been in your pre-school program for a full month now and to say you are loving it would be a huge understatement! Every day is different as they do such a great job of rotating the activities and keeping the kids entertained and engaged. I especially like the communication I have with the teachers- every day they post on several boards the things you worked on that day, what you ate, your general schedule. They have workbooks and when I took you for the tour, the teacher said I could have an extra one so we could do some practice on days we are home. On Thursdays a local gymnastics group brings all the equipment and supplies to the pre-school facility and you get to do "gym kids" for a couple of hours. I'm glad we signed you up for it as you and I literally count the days each week so you know how long you have to wait until the next one.

At the beginning of October you and I took our own little road trip down to Oregon. We missed a Thursday and right when I thought the tears were coming that you would miss gym kids, I told you we were going to see Grandma and Grandpa and Papa and boom it was instantly okay. I thought about just telling you it was farther out or something but I'm glad I didn't fall into that white-lie trap to "save you" from feeling disappointed. Everything is a trade and you could see that right away-- being with our family was worth it, and I was really proud of you in that moment. Speaking of that trip, it was a good one! My cousin Kristin got married and you danced and danced your little heart out. Watching you twirl around, arms out, hoping and skipping and singing without a care in the world, oblivious to everyone else, was super sweet. It was a beautiful ceremony and reception and I'm glad we went. We were able to see family we don't get to see often and I especially got to spend extra time with Grammy. On the trip down we stopped at a grocery store for lunch and to get gas and supplies and you insisted on bringing your little purse with you. It was one your birthaunt had gotten for you last year and it had a couple small toys and trinkets inside. Anyway, I put it on the back of the chair while we ate and I suppose in the commotion of lunch spilling and several bathroom breaks and checking out....the purse was forgotten. I realized when we were hours away, called the store, and they agreed to hold it until Sunday when we would be driving back through on our way home. Well, unfortunately, on the drive north I forgot and by the time you woke up from your nap and reminded me, we were almost home, four hours away. Fast forward to yesterday when the store called me and offered to send it to our home! I am grateful for sweet people who would be so thoughtful. This purse of yours is becoming very well traveled!

Lately we have had some difficulty with your naps and I am wondering if you might be getting ready to drop them entirely. At pre-school they are required by law at your age to have a rest time for you so you always sleep there. On the days you don't go to pre-k, you still typically nap alright but I notice you go to bed later and have a harder time falling asleep. I actually feel like I'm getting ready to let them go and I feel like when you are ready, we will make the transition fairly smooth. I can't believe how fast you are growing up and I am so blessed to be part of your world. At pre-school one of my favorite things is watching you play, learn and interact with the teachers and other kids for a couple of minutes before you look up and realize I'm there. I don't typically get away with it for long though because the other kids all know me and start yelling, Mia! Your Mom is here! Mia's Mom is here!!! Lol. I wish I could watch a minute longer but that's okay, they're pretty cute as they do this excited-alarm every time a parent comes!

You are at such an inquisitive age, and Daddy and I are really loving this stage for that reason. For about awhile we were preparing to welcome a foreign exchange high school student into our home. We were meant to be a transition home for about five weeks as they secured a more permanent place for her for the remaining school year. Anyway, I was determined to learn a little Ukrainian and was practicing using Google translate to help me learn the sentence, Welcome to our home. Sounds simple, but trust me, I had to listen to it a good 20 times to get it right, and maybe more times than that. In you walk, just strolling by, and after hearing it once, just once, you say the whole thing perfectly. I was blown away! You are certainly living up to the description of 'sponge'! While the student is no longer coming, it made me start to think that maybe we should be working with language a bit more!

There are battles over dinner, bathtime, what you wear and where we go, all typical three year old stuff. I'm not going to deny that that's there. When I look over the day, though, it's such a small part and it's typically so brief, I just cannot say enough how grateful I am to be your Mommy. I love you my sweet girl!

oxoxoxox
Mommy