**3 years old**

(birthday party at Granny's)

(new haircut)

(you and me - clowning around)

Dear Kadison ~

Wow, honey you are becoming such a little girl. The big 3 today!

I'm going to be totally honest and tell you that this year has been one of the most difficult years of my life and probably your Daddy's too. The year of you being 2 is gone and we are all ready to say goodbye to it.

There is a lot that contributed to this past year. Me, having a baby growing inside and being utterly exhausted and you having more energy than all of us combined. Your Daddy graduated and started job searching. You started daycare after your nanny up and left us one day. That took us all awhile to get used to but now we all love the little place you go to 3 days a week. You've learned so many new songs, more new dance moves, and have made some great new friends.

This past year you've gone from your crib to a big girl bed to our bed to back to your bed and now we're still trying to all get used to sleeping in our own beds all night long. Mama or Daddy slept with you a lot until Mama's belly got way to big to fit in your tiny bed with you so then it was all about Daddy. This has just added to you being very much a Daddys Girl. There isn't a day or even a moment that goes by that you don't want to know where your Daddy is. He is your light. I have to admit this was hard for me to get used to and even still is but I know we all love each other very much and that our family is a tight unit that wouldn't be if it wasn't for all of our love.

I must say I've been so proud of you for the way you've welcomed your baby sister Penelope into our family; you were excited and interested through out my pregnancy and you couldn't love her any more now that she's here. Of course there are times that you wish we could all just pay attention to you but for the most part you love her and want to help out as much as possible. You never once asked us to take her back or for her to leave. You have asked us to put her in her crib so we could all read books in peace like the old days and sometimes I yearn for the old days too but things change my sweets and I know that you will be the greatest big sister Penelope could ask for. She already loves to hear your voice and smiles and "marches" her legs around when you come into a room so it's only a matter of time before she is on your heels to play with you.

You surprised us all by potty-training yourself the weekend before Penelope came into this world and somehow we think you realized how helpfull that would be and how grateful we were for this to all happen.

I have FINALLY realized that I can't worry or stress about "when" you will stop and start new things and that you will do everything in your time and that will be the right time. No more pushing or rushing you. I hope to have learned this and if I slip back into my old ways I'm sure you'll tell me..."Mama, wait a minute!" and then I'll be put back in my place.

You have a strong will and "you are one smart cookie" as your Grampa Ray will tell you. And you will reply back "that's true!" If we could all just slow down a bit, relax a bit more, eat good foods, get the amount of rest we all need we will be a very happy family.

Your imagination has totally blown me over, it's hilarious and wonderful to experience. The "green slide" that we can slide down and be somewhere else in just an instant. We have gone to NY to visit our friend Cynthia, we have gone to Atlanta to visit our friend Tina, we've gone to Minnesota to see Granny and Grampapa and to Wisconsin and Washington....it's awesome the way you make sure we come back on the green slide to get back home. Once the phone rang and I ran to get it but you reminded me we weren't "home", we were in NYC. "Oops, I forgot"; "oh, that's OK mama, we all make mistakes!" You amaze me on a daily basis and again, if I just slow down and pay attention we're all much happier!

We are all in this together and learning along the way together. We'll keep on trying to do the very best we can and remember that in the end it's all about love, laughter and big hugs and kisses baby doll!

May this next year of being 3 bring you so much happiness, laughter and many great new experiences.....I know it will for me since you are in my life.

Happy Birthday Sweet Cheeks!
love,
mama

Posted by stef at April 11, 2008 06:42 AM