Dear Anna,
I can’t believe that you’ll be three years old when I write this letter
next month. Wow! Some days I feel like you’re two going on
twenty and then you curl up in my lap or ask for a hug when you need
reassurance and you’re my little girl all over again. You have a heart of gold and are caring
beyond your years at such a young age.
You’re a girl through and through and back again. You love to dress up as a princess, love all
things pink, anything with glitter is a must, and you love to twirl and dance. Sophia the First is one of your favorite
shows and you can probably re-enact most episodes, and so could we given the
number of times they are played. You
love to wear necklaces and refer to them as your “amulet”, just like Sophia,
you have a pair of pink mary-janes that you refer to as your “glass slippers”
and feel that you’re transformed into a princess with the simple addition of a
dress or a skirt to your wardrobe; even in my robe or overcoat you’ll ask “Mommy,
are you a princess today?”
You’re growing and learning new things every day and sometimes it’s hard
to pinpoint exactly where you picked something up. I joked a few months ago that I’d likely
still be helping you get dressed and undressed when you went to college, and
then almost overnight you’re doing it independently. Slowly and veeeerrryyyy deliberately, but
independently. One day you insisted you
put your own underwear and pants on in the morning, sat down, sorted out the
back from the front, and asked me if you were putting your foot in “the right
tunnel?” Shirts are a little harder, but
you’re getting there, and are pretty good with shoes, only needing confirmation
that “this is the right one, Mommy?” as you put them on. You also LOVE the rain boots your Grandma got
your for your 2nd birthday, and I must admit they look adorable on you. We had to put a child-lock on the coat closet
door to limit the use of the accompanying umbrella, but that’s pretty cute
too. You’re getting much more
opinionated about what you wear and I’m starting to lower my standards when it
comes to matching or rotating outfits; as long as it’s clean and relatively
fits, and gets you out the door before Noon, we’ll go with it.
Your Dad does your bath most nights, a tradition that started when I
was too pregnant to bend down and has continued as I nursed and now rock
Charlotte to sleep. You guys have a ton of fun and I love to hear about all of the
crazy happenings. Most recently you love
to use the bar soap to clean-up specific body parts and tell your Dad that you’re
“cleaning off your messy Bessies.” We’re
not sure where that came from, but that’s a nickname your Grandpap called your
Dad’s Grandma, so we love it and know Grandma Bessie (your middle namesake,
Elizabeth) is beaming down with a big smile and lots of pride. You insist on sleeping with about 12 blankets
and 15 stuffed animals in your bed and will sometimes wake up pretty sweaty,
telling us that “I’m all sweater-y! Just
all sweater-y!”
We’ve been trying to make a point to do special “Anna dates,” especially
you’re older and can appreciate outings in a different way than Charlotte. Last month I took a day off work and we went
to the Children’s Museum. It was SO MUCH
fun. It was so great to just let loose
with you and I enjoyed watching to you play and interact. I loved the questions you’d ask, watching you
enjoy the stations, seeing your eyes light up when you had put the pieces
together at a station, and all of the hugs throughout the day. You’re such a special little girl! We enjoyed lunch afterwards, took a stroll
through the gift shop, played in the fountains outside the museum, and took selfies
before we headed to the car. It was a
perfect day and you were the perfect date.
As much as you love alone time with us, you also love your sister fiercely. You tend to her when she’s not feeling well,
encourage her when you’re playing, tolerate her hair-pulling, lack of social
skills and toy stealing, and genuinely want what’s best for her. She was sick for several days last month and
you wanted nothing more than to comfort her and help her feel better. You’d pat her head and back, bring her toys,
and offer comforting words. It was true
cute overload.
Overall, you’re just more and more aware of the world around you and
are able to understand situations regarding emotions. We’re working on “listening ears” quite a bit
now and I hate to squash your creative juices, but sometimes we can’t spend 20
minutes in the morning playing while we’re getting dressed. I’ve started to try to make you understand
consequences while keeping my cool and will often explain that I’m going to
count to three and after that I won’t be as happy anymore. It seems to work as you’ll usually perform the
task at hand (usually brushing your teeth) and will ask “are you still happy Mommy?”
as you finish up. I went away on a girls’
trip for a couple of nights and the day I was returning you asked me over the phone
“Did you go see the horsies, Mommy? And
find your friends, Mommy?” I had been at
Keeneland and I did find my friends, you were spot on!
As grown up as you’re getting, you’re still my little girl. You still cling to me in new situations, look
to me for reassurance, and give me the best hugs. Ever. With the sweetest little arms. I hope you’ll always delight in showing me
something new you’ve learned, will need my guidance, and will keep on giving
those hugs.
Love,
Mom
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