Happy 3rd Birthday Grace

Dear Grace,

I realize this is a little early..but I have to write these when the mood strikes me - and despite the fact that you technically won't be 3 until 5/21 - you seem to have mastered the art of being 3 already.

I've just finished re reading my letters from the last 2 years and I have tears streaming down my face. Lots of things have changed in the last year..but some have stayed the same. Your best friends are still Kenna, Ava and Ben. You truly do love them and it's been amazing to watch you all grow up together. Sometimes, Aunt Teri will call and tell me that Kenna wants to talk to you..and you guys will have a full blown conversation on the phone. Instead of putting just 2 words together, you are talking in almost complete sentences now and have been working on your own little 3 yr old version of trash talking.

We still listen to music a lot and your current favs for the year are Fergalicious by Fergie, Live Wire by The Funky Meters and Paid in Full by Eric B and Rakim. We listened to A LOT of the Charlie Brown Christmas over the holiday and it was hard breaking you of it after Christmas was over.

Your favorite shows right now are Little Einsteins, Higgly Town Heroes and Micky Mouse Clubhouse.

You have already started playing soccer. You attended your 1st soccer camp this year and by all accounts did a great job and had a wonderful time. You are very fast and can run while kicking a ball - which is something you got from your daddy b/c I can't even think about running w/ a ball without tripping.

You love to eat and still love to go to Mawmaws and eat spaghetti. Mawmaw will cook you anything - as exemplified on Good Friday, when we went by her restaurant after the Easter Bonnet Parade and you requested "chicken and spaghetti" --and she came out with a huge plate of chicken parmigiana for you. You are a lot like your MawMaw. When there is food in the kitchen and anyone walks thru, you harrass them by saying EAT repeatedly until they eat something -- and you begin a lot of your sentences with the work "LOOK." Both are things she does and I find myself calling you Grace M b/c you act like her so much.

You still love to be outside and we are getting you a new swing set for your birthday. We were at Kenna's a couple of weekends ago and you were so frustrated that you could not swing yourself like Kenna can. It is a rite of passage. You will learn soon, grasshopper.

You have a cat named Beatrice and a fish named Juan. You love feeding them and taking care of them. Each morning you make a point to feed Bea befoe we leave the house.

We just got you out of your crib and moved you into your big girl bed. It is so funny to watch you sleep. I will put you to bed and tuck you in all nice and neat and I will go in there to check on you later -- and find you on top of the covers and sideways in the bed with your arms and legs spread out as far as they will go.

There are so many things about you that I just can't seem to put into words. You just have to see and experiencere it to believe it. Your personality has really started to come out and I am proud to say that at 3, you have already become what I'd hoped you would be, a loving, caring, beautiful person. You have your 3 yr old moments...but for the most part, you love to be around your family and friends and show it by your affection towards them.

My wish for you this year and always is that you see and recognize how beautiful and loved you are. You have already exceeded my expectations. It is my job now to help you find your passion and explore who you really are - so that as you grow older you can and will feel comfortable and confident with yourself. Your passion is what will drive you - the comfort I will help you find within yourself will keep you sane and grounded.

I love you, Grace. More than you will ever know. I hope that one day (not too soon, but one day) you will experience this kind of love with your own child.

Happy 3rd Birthday!!

I love you,

Mommy