Three Years Old

May 6, 2011

Dear Penny,

Today you are three years old. THREE. Three years ago, your dad and I were in the hospital, holding our brand new baby girl, overjoyed with love and rapture and disbelief. It was, without a doubt, the happiest day of my life. (And that includes my 7th birthday, which is the year I got a brand new bicycle for my birthday, the "Desert Rose.") We stared at you for hours; awestruck by your tiny fingers and toes. We grinned when you yawned and stretched, we marveled at every bit of you.

You are still a marvel. You are getting taller, and your hair reminds me of a jar of honey sitting in the sunlight. Your laugh is contagious. You are, how can I say this? Dramatic. Everything is an emergency, so you can come off as a little bossy from time to time, truth be told. But you are working on asking for things nicely and not shouting at people, and understanding when things are not as big of a deal as you might think.

You are also getting better at using words to explain why you don't like certain things ("I frustrated!") and you can tell me when you are worried about something. You really are sweet and sensitive. Sometimes I forget that someone so young can have such complicated emotions.

You love dancing and playing and drawing and painting. You have a knack for art, which fills my heart with pride. You also have quite the imagination. The other day you told me you were going to the jungle and you were taking food for all of the animals. You have long, in-depth conversations with yourself and your toys and you really like it when we join in and play with you.



Last summer, you were digging in the yard and finding worms in the garden with your dad. So far this spring, you are not a fan of bugs at all, but I hope this is just a phase. Sometimes you freeze in place on the sidewalk and just scream in panic. Ants aren't going to hurt you, silly!



This coming year will bring a lot of new things. We found a preschool we really like—It's hard to believe you will be going to school soon. I am excited for you to make more friends, to learn new things, and to learn how to interact with adults who aren't your parents or your grandparents.

We have been talking about changing your bed to a "big girl bed." I think you are excited about this prospect, but you are also apprehensive. After all, big girls go to school and use the potty. There's a lot to take on, and I'm sure it seems daunting. But we are here with you, and we're all in this together. You are a big girl, Penny, but you will always be my baby. Happy Birthday.

Love,
Mom