Dear Anna,
Today you turned 3 years old! I’ve been calling you my three-year-old for a few weeks now, because, well, you’ve been acting 3. That is to say, you’re going through a completely age-appropriate stage where you are testing limits, making a bid for independence, and generally trying to make me crazy. When you’re not trying to drive me up a wall, you are literally climbing walls and looking for ways to hurt yourself while adding to my (thankfully still small) collection of stray gray hairs.
Luckily, you’re cute.
We spent the day doing pretty ordinary things: swimming lessons, library, piano lessons. You got to watch a couple episodes of your current favorite TV show, Phineas and Ferb. And when Daddy got home, we went out to dinner at El Jimador, where you were serenaded while wearing a very (very) large sombrero – and got to eat yummy fried ice cream for dessert.
And then came the presents…a name sign for your door, to match your sister’s. A superhero cape of your very own. A couple of books. You were so happy with these things, and while Daddy was getting your last surprise ready, you said, “Thank you Mommy for all the presents!”
But we did have one last surprise. I found a gently used little bike, complete with Dora stickers and a purple backpack bike “basket”, that’s just your size. One of those things you’ve been trying to do when finding new ways to scare me half to death is climb on your sister’s way-too-big bike – using the training wheels as a step up, naturally. This will be (at least slightly) safer. You haven’t quite figured out how to pedal it, but you’ve got the whole rest of the summer to learn!
I still can’t quite believe you turned three today. I know I’m guilty of thinking of you as my “baby”, when clearly you are growing up and turning into a big little person in your own right. The fact is, you will always be my baby, but I am enjoying so much watching you grow and learn, and I’m looking forward to seeing the great big girl you will become someday.
Love, Mommy