Elle, I apologize for not doing this in a more timely manner. Your birthday fell in the middle of a crazy season for our family—a few trips, a big show, and then summer.
When you turned three, we were in Florida, and you and your sister took turns visiting urgent care with ear infections. Happy Birthday!
The biggest change about you at three, Elle, is that you are starting to figure out you are your own person, with your own identity, outside of your family. This has been a challenging thing for you to learn, not having Grace pave the trail for you, but you are going to love it once you get used to it. I’m so excited to see how you shine, and to meet your friends, and to know what your likes and dislikes are, as you continue to grow into yourself. You began preschool this fall, and it was a difficult transition for you, flying solo. In fact, it gave you so much anxiety we contemplated trying again next year. But luckily, you’re not above bribery, and a quick trip to the Dollar Tree after school has made everything hunky dory. I don’t know why I said hunky dory.
This summer you learned how to swim by watching Grace and channeling your inner fearlessness. You’re good at it, really good — at the start of summer you still wanted your floaty and stuck to the shallow end of the pool, by the end of summer, you could tread water and doggie paddle and sputter your way across the deep end, unassisted. Sheer determination, it’s inspiring to watch! Also scary.
You continue to be absolutely hilarious, both intentionally and unintentionally. You have an knack for physical comedy, your face and body skillfully and naturally aid in your storytelling, making you extremely engaging and just plain old fun to watch. You LOVE to play, with anything, anytime, anywhere. Where your sister has always been enticed by YouTube and drawing, you love to get out a bin of toys and set up a whole imaginary world, and then have me come and play in it with you. You especially love barbies. And babies. In fact, you wish we had a baby brother at our house, and you would like to name him Sprinkles. You love to be a little kid, and that is one of my favorite things about you. You don’t anticipate, you just enjoy life exactly where you’re at. And that is about all I can hope for you, your whole life long. And probably one of the greatest things you teach me, everyday. Oh, you also really, REALLY love Oliver.
You have this funny speech impediment that causes your “ch” to sound like “sh.” For example, “I don’t like sheese because it gets on my shin, but I do like to shug shocolate milk.” (Actual quote)
You love to be carried, you love to snuggle, you still prefer to sleep curled up under my arm, you love to be babied — something we are all more than happy to indulge. You have a unique ability to pull me out of any bad mood, simply by being you. You have the sweetest spirit, and where you once were sort of a bully to little kids, you're now extremely helpful and kind with them. Your sweetness is well balanced with a lot of BOLDNESS, and sometimes it drives me nuts, how determined and insistent you can be, but mostly, I admire you, and I appreciate your intensity. It makes me a better version of myself, being your mom. I simply adore you, Eleanor Elizabeth. You are exactly the daughter I need. Thank you thank you thank you for being mine.
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