Letters to Sara on her third birthday, part one

November 1, 2010

My precious baby girl:

You are three years old today! I can hardly believe it. You have become such a little person in such a short amount of time.

You are so much fun now. I mean, you have been fun all along, but watching you continue to develop and grow brings your dad and me so much joy. You sing songs all the time, both ones you have learned and ones that you have made up. You love to dance, too. You also love to play pretend. You love to pretend drive and pretend cook. Sometimes you just want to pretend to be someone different altogether. On more than one occasion, I have had to be “Miss Jeri” while you pretend to be Hayden. (Jeri is the mother of Hayden, one of Ryan’s friends and neighbors.)

You’re still pretty shy around strangers, but at home you are very outspoken. “Mommy, don’t say that. “ “No, you don’t sing. I have to sing.” “Mommy, I need milk!” “Thank you for breakfast, Mommy.” “I don’t want to snuggle.” “No, you have to read this book!” “Mommy, I’m ready to be wiped!” Your world is the Sara show, and I am merely a supporting character—and I love every minute of it. I take such delight in watching you figure things out and use your creativity.

You can do so many things now. You go to preschool two mornings a week, and you seem to love it. You are pretty well potty-trained during the day, and today you insisted on napping without a diaper, so we’ll see if you’re ready to give up all diapers during the day! You throw things in the trash for me, and you put your bibs in the sink after breakfast. You wash your hands by yourself, and you try to put on your “big girl panties,” but sometimes they end up kind of backwards or inside-out. You are very good at taking off your pants, shoes, and socks, and you love to “help” me with cooking and with making your meals. I think this is because you like to sneak bites of applesauce and jelly, though.

Even though you are getting to be more independent and more of a big girl, you are still—and will always be, as I continue to tell you—my baby girl. I love when we snuggle in the morning and you insist that I put on my glasses to read you a book. I love how you have to know where Baby (your lovey) is around sleep times, and how you love to hold her and kiss her. Lately, when I’m reading books to you, you kind of snuggle up against me. It might be because my belly is starting to make you uncomfortable, but I am loving every second of the snuggles. Sometimes now, when I’m rocking you for a moment, you ask to be rocked a little longer. Sometimes you just want to crawl around and act like a baby. I think you know that a big change is coming, and one time you even asked to feel the baby, even though we aren’t talking about him with you just yet.

In a year that has been so dark and so hard for me personally, you were a shining light. Your twos were not terrible; they were terrific. I have been told repeatedly that the threes are what are really terrible, so I guess I’ll hold my breath and wait to see what three brings—aside from the move into a big girl bed and the arrival of a baby brother, two events that are sure to rock your world! Whatever curveballs you throw at us, your dad and I will continue to delight in you as you embark on your fourth year. You are, and forever will be, our baby girl, our Sweet Sara Jo.

Happy Birthday, Baby Girl. I still love you more than I ever thought possible, and I still thank God for you every single day. I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always; as long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be.

Love,

Mommy