April 24, 2011

My Dear Ella,

Happy 3rd Birthday!! I started writing these letters to you 6 months ago (when you were 2 ½) and I thought since this one was extra special for a little lady turning 3, I would use it for our family blog/website! I must admit, I thought I might just use the one I had written and update it a bit, but what I found was that you have changed in SO many ways in such a short amount of time, that I would write a completely new one!
This spring, you are 3 years old! I’ll never forget when we welcomed you into the world three years ago! One of the days we were in the hospital (and it was just you and I for a second or two) we were sitting by the window, and you were bobbing your little head up and down straining to see out (because even then you wanted to do things by yourself) – I turned you so you could see, and I told you what you were looking at. In that quiet moment, I promised you that I would teach you any and everything I knew about the great big world out that window.
And you are learning things like a complete sponge! Many things you have picked up on your own because you are so internally motivated to do things! You are now talking NON-stop using words like ‘costume’ and ‘frustrated’ in correct context. You can count to 14, know all your shapes and colors, and have been singing the ABC song for almost a year! You have started to write your name (adding just a few too many lines to the uppercase E), and can identify 5 or 6 letters. You LOVE to be read to, and we read each night before you go to bed! Whether your Pop and I like it or not, you can dress yourself completely and typically want to pick out your clothes all by yourself. When asked what you want to be when you grow up you always say ‘a cheerleader’! We are excited to be able to watch Pop coach football this fall, and give you lots of opportunities to practice cheering for his team!
You are absolutely filled with joy! You love to do SO many things, and some of your favorite things to do are coloring, painting and any type of craft, music and dancing (our family dance parties are one of your favorite things!), playing with your friends/play dates, doing gymnastics, going to playgrounds and especially bounce houses, and cuddling on the couch (with your favorite movie, which at the moment (and this changes frequently) is Tangled – the story of princess Rapunzel. Your favorites to eat are chicken, broccoli, applesauce, mac-n-cheese, celery with ranch, tomatoes, avocados and CHOCOLATE!
Your ‘Pop,’ as you call him, is wonderful and he loves to wrestle you, and play chase and hide-and-seek. You love it when he is a ‘monster’ and tickles you!! We love each and every moment we spend with you from playing on your trampoline to going to carnivals and fairs (you LOVE rides) to doing simple things like playing dress up, doing shadow shows on the wall in the dark and having picnics.
Our life is busy, but I can’t help but think it’s the best time of me and your Pop’s life so far! We are constantly on-the-go, doing things as a family, working, taking you places, and I can’t imagine our world without the joy you bring each and every day!

Love,
Mom