Dear Carolyn,
Today you are officially three and a half years old. I don’t know where the time has gone, I think just yesterday you were six months old! You’ve gone from being that little baby who was just starting to eat solid foods to a big girl who loves to help us cook in just three short years.
Your reading is coming along amazingly. In a month you’ve gone from three letter short vowel sound words to understanding the whole “silent e” thing and figuring out a few sight words like “the”, “and” and “to”. You sit in your carseat while we’re driving and just test out sounds and sound combinations – a lot like you did when you were a baby, but much more sophisticated – “b..uh..k, book! b..oo..t, boot!” You also like to experiment with spelling words on the refrigerator…let’s just say, your spelling is quite creative – although I can pretty much always figure out what words you’re trying to make.
Sleep is still pretty elusive these days. I’m starting to think you’re outgrowing the rock hard mattress on your toddler bed, because you comment on how comfy and cozy our bed is when you crawl in with us every night. I just have to find some new furniture for you, and then we’ll switch you into a twin bed. This way we won’t have to buy a new crib mattress, anyway.
I can’t believe what a big girl you’re becoming. When I wake up before you and you’re sleeping in our bed, you look so…old. Well, not old, but I can see in your face the young women you’ll become in 15 years or so, much more than I can see the baby you were just a few years ago. And yet, you’ll always be my baby.
Love, Mommy