A Letter For P*

Dear P,

You are turning FOUR tomorrow. I’ve said it a million times these past few weeks, but somehow it still doesn’t feel real. My baby is going to be four.

I love this photo of you because it just absolutely captures your spirit right now. You let me take your photo, but you had to do it your own way.

Your personality is shining through each day and there’s just so much that we love and admire about you. You love to make others laugh and are constantly trying to find ways to take a little dig at your Dad to make him smile. You are so clever and are always determined to keep up with your big brother and sister. Once you set your mind to something, there is NO stopping you or getting in your way. While that often drives me crazy, I hope you never ever lose that.

You have a wild streak running through you and you love to laugh and wrestle and have fun… but you also still love to crawl up on my knee for a quiet “huggie snuggie”.

While you may not always want to climb on my knee, I hope you know that no matter what, my arms will always be open for you.

You’ve grown so much over the past year. Some mornings I look at you and I swear your face has changed even just from the night before. It’s exciting and wonderful and heart wrenching as part of me just wants you to stay little forever.

But like, THIS kind of little. Not the baby kind where you did not sleep AT ALL for 18 months. We’re glad to be past that. (Love you!)

Three was a big year for you. You potty trained like a champ (after the protest peeing stopped) and formed a deep and lasting friendship with cantaloupe that made the internet fall in love with you.

Your speech has come so far and you articulate your ideas so clearly now. Most of what comes out of your mouth has us laughing–you love to make jokes and be so silly. When you’re mad you tell us that “you’re not my best friend anymore”, but thankfully we seem to be friends again just a few minutes later.

You love to swim and run outside, and your biggest accomplishment was learning how to ride your two wheeler bike without trailing wheels. You are SO proud to be able to keep up with S & H, and we love watching you hunch over the bike and pump your little legs as fast as you can go.

You don’t like being told what to do, and we still have the odd battle or two. It usually ends with you screaming and yelling “I DON’T WANNA TALK” at me…

…then crawling up on my knee for a hug a few minutes later.

Your moods come and go, but even when I’m pulling my hair out, I love that about you. You feel things deeply, even at three.

Right now you have this incredible ability to grab any combination of toys and completely immerse yourself in imaginative play. Somehow you can make a Lego Batman, a stuffed bear and Woody come together to have the time of their lives. You love Batman and superheroes, as well as all things Toy Story. You also LOVE playing Nintendo right now and adore Mario and “Wee-gi”.

If we weren’t in the middle of a worldwide pandemic, I would have thrown you a big Mario birthday party to celebrate your special day.

Instead, we went swimming today and you had a blast. Tomorrow you’ve asked for hamburgers for dinner and we settled on a Dinosaur cake (after I gently vetoed the Woody cake–Mama has limitations to my cake decorating abilities. ha!)

It might not be a big party, but we will celebrate you!! Your brother and sister are SO excited that you’re turning four. Miss S reminded me more than once that I needed to put the balloons out for you tonight. (Your dad is currently blowing them up as I type!)

I love you so much, P.

Even though I’m not always your best friend, you’ll always be mine.

Love,

Mom