THREE

March 25, 2012

My dearest baby,

You are THREE today. You are probably reading this in your early twenties or around there, so you KNOW by now that writing that sentence made me all kerflempt mostly because I just can’t believe how quickly time passes. I know I say it ALL the damn time, but I’m still waiting for this growing thing to slow down. Keep wishing, right?

I’m having a hard time writing down how I feel today. I just feel so much I guess. The last few months have been…stressful and have taught me a lot about what life can throw at you and how you have to choose to handle that stress. I’m lucky (and so are you) because Rothmans give out really good support. And I’m sure that hasn’t changed by the time you are reading this. But in a very unrefined and jumbled way, I just want you to always remember a few things. The most important being that you are absolutely perfect just the way you are and you define who are – not anyone else and their labels. Every single person has something they have to deal with in life and try not to make conclusions before you know the whole story. It’s hard, but just try.

But back to you. At three, you:

Are absolutely gorgeous and have this little face that I sometimes look at and just have to kiss

Are sensitive and require a lot of hugs. But I mean I’m going to be begging for those hugs in a few years

Officially sleep through the night! You have no clue how happy I am to write that

Are incredibly intelligent

Are VERY strong-willed and have opinions

Have a memory that surpasses my own

Say “MOM” ALL the time now and OH MY GOD you have no idea how much I love to hear that precious word come out of your mouth. It’s the title that I am most proud of and hope to hear it every day till forever

Yell ASHER about 20 times a day – usually to have him stop doing whatever he’s doing

Can act whole scenes from shows and movies – down to facial expressions

And speaking of those, you have about a thousand.

Sleep with 5 stuffed animals and it is just the cutest thing

Are warming up to your brother and are actually quite protective of him when we leave the house

LOVE Dad. Omg you are VERY much a Daddy’s girl and he LOVES it as much as you love him. You run to him when he gets home and cling to him till bedtime. If he dares try to do something that doesn’t involve you, you are sure to go and find him and remind him that he only does things that involve you while home. It is just the sweetest relationship and I hope you remain a Daddy’s girl always - as long as I still get hugs. I demand hugs.

Are really into coloring, painting, and just creating.

Are “technically” out of diapers except for when you are asleep but that is a story to be told at another time.

Are starting to get a hang of peddling your bike. It took us getting you a bike to remember how hard it is to learn how to ride one.

LOVE Grandma. You ask for her when a few days go by without seeing her and you don’t appreciate having to share her with Asher. You love Grandpa too but are just more vocal about Grandma.

Are now allowing me to read longer books and for longer periods of time.

Amaze me at how much more you can do everyday.

I think right now that is really the theme of my life with you. Amazement. You do or say something new every single day. And that is not an exaggeration.

Here’s the mushy part – I know by the time you are reading this none of this will even be an issue but I want to always remember that Dad and I will help you get through any struggles that life gives you with everything we have. And life’s not always going to be easy and some days you are going to feel like it’s never going to get better but I promise you it will. Every single day, for reals, I look at you and your brother and think that I am the luckiest person in the world because you two chose me to be your mom. I lived 25 years before knowing I was capable of loving another human being as much as I love you two and sometimes that all encompassing love makes me act in ways that are probably very annoying to you and your brother. But that my child is the hand you were dealt and I will try to reel it in, but I’m not making any promises.

I love you more than words can express.

Mom