3rd Birthday Letter

 
Ella, in her self designed birthday dress. of yellow, green, stripes, pockets and number threes

Dear Ella,

Today you turn three! You’re running around, insisting you’re one so that you and brother can match. Then a little grin creeps across your face and you say that you were “just being silly”.

You are fiercely independent yet still rely so heavily on Daddy and I, for which we are both so grateful. Running ahead down the sidewalk on walks, yet stopping to look for us and wait when you come to a corner. Every item on your body must be approved by you but you are content to pick from the choices I offer. The only thing you won’t be swayed from are the names you pick for your babies. The most recent additions to your menagerie are Glinda and Sushi, both teddy bears. What makes me chuckle is how appropriate Sushi’s name is –he’s a panda bear!

The transition you’ve made from toddler to preschooler has been one so gradual, I didn’t notice until yesterday as we were taking pictures of your birthday dress. Only the last vestiges of babyness remain in your face. Your body is long, lanky and knobby. Three quarters of the big couch are taken up when you lay out full length. There is less falling and more twirling.

I hope you keep on twirling. Twirl through your entire life, always seeing the sunny side of things with a smile on your face. Your optimism as a three year old will carry you far through hard grown up times down the road and  I am going to do everything possible to help you maintain this outlook on life.

So much love, my birthday girl.

Mama

To Miles, On His First Year of Life

To those new here, I write a letter to my children on their birthday. I store them in a special box, along with other little mementos.

Dear Miles,

This morning, you woke with smiles, laughter, and signing for milk. Before I could comply with your request, you wiggled out of bed and went running out, shouting “Daaaa! Daaaa! Daaa!”. Your heart broke and tears rolled down fat little cheeks when you realized your precious Daddy wasn’t home. Nothing could console you until you decided you had expressed your emotions to their fullest extent.

Your sister introduces you to everyone. She says, “This is my baby brother Miles. He is very little and very bald. I love his bald head and never want him to grow hair”. Oops! I guess I comment on my love of your lack of hair a bit too much. It’s the truth, though! I never, ever, EVER want you to grow hair. You have the most perfect, round, bald baby head in the universe. If you ever do anything stupid with your hair as a teenager and have to shave it all off, I won’t weep. It’ll look good.

Every single day brings new things you can do. You surprised me by turning a box upside down to reach something too high a few months ago. The day after your birthday party, you were stacking small blocks on top of each other then giggling evilly as you knocked them down. And today? You climbed out of bed when you thought your nap was all over. Thankfully, I convinced you otherwise but that just served to reinforce to me that you are becoming a little person!

Your love of using fine motor skills and long attention span fascinates me. You will sit for at least 20 minutes (a long attention span there for a 1 year old!) manipulating  puzzle pieces to fit them into their slots. Fish tanks intrigue you, as does filling up bags with everything you find on the floor.

This year has flown by. I blinked and you went from being a newborn in my arms to a toddler. While I am not wishing time away, I look forward to seeing the little man you will become.

Love,

Mama

Two Years

This letter will be going in her special box, where I put little things like her yearly letters and hair from her first hair cut.

Dear Ella,

It simply amazes me that you are two years old today. I felt this way on your first birthday and I’m sure I’ll feel like this on your third. Even though some days in toddlerhood seem to drag on forever, when it’s all said and done the days are literally gone in a blink of an eye.

A few weeks before your birthday, you suddenly started identifying colors. Out of nowhere, you pointed to our house numbers and correctly named them all. Your four word sentences are giving me a run for my money.

The things you love: Elmo, playing outside, Blues Clues, bumble bees, The Wiggles, sweeping, washing dishes, going on walks, rough housing with Daddy, juice, loving on your baby brother Miles.

You imitate everything your Daddy and I do. You fold your clothes with your teeth like Daddy does. You mimic my soothing techniques I use with your brother when you tend to your Baby Emily. I think in just a few short weeks, you’re going to decide that you are DONE with the high chair because you want to sit in a big girl chair like Mama and Daddy.

You have a very nurturing and sensitive heart. When a baby cries in the grocery store, you immediately want to run to the baby and take care of it. Sometimes, if the baby keeps on crying, it’s all I can do to convince you the mama is taking care of her baby.

Once you form an opinion, you are hard to budge. I nearly died inside the day at the park where you informed a friend of mine that daddies are suppose to use bottles, not mamas. You were never told that mamas couldn’t use bottles! Daddy just explained to you how daddies feed their babies the night before and you formed your own conclusions.

This past year has brought so much change to your life. You are now climbing, shouting, talking, singing, dancing, counting, and coloring. You have a new little brother as well! The adjustment to a sibling has gone so peacefully. I’m so incredibly proud of you!

With love,

Mama

A Letter To Miles

Note: I wrote a letter to Ella around her sixth week of life and will write one on each birthday. They’re stored in a special box I got for her while I was pregnant. I plan on doing the same for Miles, though I haven’t found the perfect box yet. I can see what I want in my mind’s eye but am unable to find it.

Dear Miles,

It’s so hard to believe that six weeks have already passed. Time is flying. Between the business of general life and your big sister’s antics, sometimes I feel like you just fall to the wayside. You’re such a chill little dude most of the time, I can just pop you into a sling or wrap and chase Ella. Because of this, I really treasure what your daddy and I have dubbed “Angry Baby Time” or ABT. From about 5:00pm until 10:00, you fuss, squirm, and sometimes bellow your head right off. Daddy takes care of Ella and I take care of you. You and I crawl into the big bed together and sing, rock, jiggle, nurse, and sing some more. Then, when you’re peaceful, I heave a sigh of relief and snuggle you while I watch a bit of television.

Your entrance into this world was a struggle for me. It was a hard birth. After we got home from the hospital, I cried about it while nursing you. Now that I have gotten to know you so much better, I would go through much worse to have you in my arms. I had been told that there is just something different about having a son. I wasn’t so sure I believed those folks, especially since their firstborns had been boys. But they’re right. This is NOT to say that I love you more than I love your older sister. It’s just the love is… different. There are different kinds of strings attaching my heart to you than what connect me to your sister. I am really cherishing these differences and am seeing just exactly how a mother’s love expands to accommodate each new child.

Already you are such a little person. Our “little man”, as we like to say. In general, you are very laid back. You don’t express your opinion about much but when you do, the world had better watch out! Your carseat seems to be getting the brunt of your opinion expression lately. You are such a peaceful boy and I am so incredibly grateful for that.

Everyone says you look like me or at least my side of the family. I have a hard time seeing it, so it will be very interesting to watch you grow up. Will you look like Mommy or Daddy or simply yourself? I’m tossing my hat in with the idea that you will simply look like Miles. No more, no less. Maybe a touch of me or your daddy here or there, but primarily Miles.

I love you so much. I can’t wait to see the child then man you become.

With love,

Mama