3.7 Years Old!

Dear Carolyn,

Three-and-a-half has proven to be complicated for you. Before, if I asked you how many you wanted of something, you'd say "three, because I'm three years old!" but now you're three-and-a-half and things don't always come in halves. (And I'm really sorry, but I'm just not creative enough to cut your PB&J sandwich into three and a half triangles!)

You're reading more and more every day. Everywhere we go you read signs. You read the headlines in the paper while I'm reading it at breakfast (note to self: stop reading the paper at breakfast so we can avoid awkward conversations about war and rising gas prices.) You're pretty much independently reading the level one books in the "step into reading" types of series. Spelling, on the other hand, is still a very creative thing for you. The other day you decided to spell "vacuum cleaner" on the fridge, and it came out "vacyoom cleenr". Although, actually, that's not *that* far off.

I've also started practicing cutting with you. I feel pretty guilty because it was the one thing your teachers mentioned at the mid-year evaluation, that you might need a little help with, and I didn't actually take their advice until the other day when I was parent helper and saw how much harder a time you were having than the other kids. Well, just a few short sessions with a cutting workbook and a pair of safety scissors and you're already about 100% more proficient with them. I wonder what else I should be working on with you that I'm not? The problem is that I'm not ready to push you into doing workbooks, even though you really do seem to enjoy them. I mean, we've got over a year until kindergarten, isn't there enough time before then for you to just pick this stuff up?

All of a sudden this month you've become a little kisser. Every time I turn around you're kissing me, kissing my belly, blowing kisses to random strangers in the store, blowing kisses to Mimi's family (yes, Mimi has made a reappearance in the past few weeks). And you say "I love you Mommy!" at least hourly. This is definitely a wonderful new quirk to your personality, because you've never really been a cuddler, so getting extra hugs and kisses from you makes my day!

Ever since we moved you to a twin bed with a real mattress, you've been sleeping through the night in your own bed. (Well, except one night, but that one doesn't count because you had taken a nap and didn't go to sleep until after Daddy and I went to bed). I have to confess I miss waking up to your warm little snuggly body stuck to me like glue in the morning, but I'm glad that you're (obviously) more comfortable in your new bed. And like everything else it's another transition that I'm probably going to have more trouble with than you will!

Love, Mommy

Posted by Sarah at May 24, 2008 2:34 PM