Tater 4 years
Dear Tater,
Happy birthday to my big girl, who likes to remind me that she's "still little." Thanks for the humor you infuse into our days, your bright smiles and giggles, and yes, even your powerful attitude that is making me a more patient person.
Love, Mommy
Top 10 Challenges of Four
10. You LOVE bandaids. You will sneak them out of the various first aid kits. You peel them off and insist on new ones. I do my best not to give into the demands, knowing that someday there will be blood and no bandaids left, but you con them out of everyone else and get them yourself, so it's probably a lost cause.
9. While you love a good book, you definitely have a length restriction. "Is this one too long?" you'll ask? When I'm reading a long one to Spork, you will complain and try to drop-kick it out of my hands.
8. You like to pour out the soap and squeeze toothpaste liberally. If you're in a bad mood when I try to floss your teeth, you're apt to fling a handful of flossers on the bathroom floor. I am spending a lot of money on toiletries right now.
7. You still eat like a bird, so restaurants continue to be a challenge in grace and patience.
6. You love gymnastics but for some reason get exceedingly clingy so that I have to carry you to Miss C when class starts.
5. You loudly demand privacy for things like putting your shoes on. "I can do it! I need space! Don't look at me!!!"
4. When you get tired, you still morph into a gremlin. It would be really nice to have a gremlin containment system until you turn back into your loveable self!
3. You love to cuddle. I love it too, but I love it somewhat less when I'm cooking dinner and you wind yourself around my legs like a boa constrictor and then try to creep up my body like a koala. I also get a lot of elbows and knee jabs now that your body is more leggy girl child and less soft baby.
2. All of a sudden, you are an early riser. You ninja creep your way down the stairs and help yourself to yogurt. This is all well and good, and I give you kudos for the extra minutes of sleep, but sometimes you also decorate the floor with lotion or get my phone and text my West Coast friends at 3am their time.
1. I am coming to realize that my biggest challenge with you might not be a phase but a matter of temperment. You just do not really care about winning my approval, and you know what, I'm learning to be ok with that! It is a bit baffling to me after two boys who crave a thumbs up, and me myself of course being obsessed with getting gold stars in life, but I am coming to realize that you are a powerful, driven, take no prisoners woman, and you have my admiration. You also have all my marbles in a jar. Can I have a couple back, please?
Top 10 Things I Love About Four
10. I'm listing it lower, because I shouldn't love it, but I can't help it! You bicker with Spork as if you are an old married couple. It is hilarious and adorable. Like most women, you are usually right and he's wrong.
9. You are obsessed with the weather. You want to get weather reports every couple hours.
8. You are brave! When things scare you, you want to learn as much as you can and try your best to confront your fears.
7. Your voice has a crazy adorable quality, and you often pull strange accents...Southern? Cajun? Boston? Pittsburgh? It's all working for you.
6. You always have a baby under your arm. You nurse them, change diapers, soothe them when they cry, and are always ready for a picnic.
5. You tell me your dreams. "I was dreamin' about a lion and some cotton candy!"
4. Your laugh is this burbling brook of delight that ends in a snort. Soooo fantastic.
3. You love to paint and nearly every piece of artwork is for Daddy. Your most recent masterpiece was, "A banana going into the doors of the museum...and here are the potties over here...he's going to play the drums! Painting makes me happy."
2. When I pick you up from preschool, you have the biggest grin on your face and come running for a hug! I have never had to pry you away from your block creation or storytime, you see me and want to drop everything for a cuddle.
1. You are generous with your hugs and offer them to friends and brothers who may be hurt. When the Nugget recently fell down, you even offered your precious ratty Bonky to cheer him up.
Happy birthday to my big girl, who likes to remind me that she's "still little." Thanks for the humor you infuse into our days, your bright smiles and giggles, and yes, even your powerful attitude that is making me a more patient person.
Love, Mommy
Top 10 Challenges of Four
10. You LOVE bandaids. You will sneak them out of the various first aid kits. You peel them off and insist on new ones. I do my best not to give into the demands, knowing that someday there will be blood and no bandaids left, but you con them out of everyone else and get them yourself, so it's probably a lost cause.
9. While you love a good book, you definitely have a length restriction. "Is this one too long?" you'll ask? When I'm reading a long one to Spork, you will complain and try to drop-kick it out of my hands.
8. You like to pour out the soap and squeeze toothpaste liberally. If you're in a bad mood when I try to floss your teeth, you're apt to fling a handful of flossers on the bathroom floor. I am spending a lot of money on toiletries right now.
7. You still eat like a bird, so restaurants continue to be a challenge in grace and patience.
6. You love gymnastics but for some reason get exceedingly clingy so that I have to carry you to Miss C when class starts.
5. You loudly demand privacy for things like putting your shoes on. "I can do it! I need space! Don't look at me!!!"
4. When you get tired, you still morph into a gremlin. It would be really nice to have a gremlin containment system until you turn back into your loveable self!
3. You love to cuddle. I love it too, but I love it somewhat less when I'm cooking dinner and you wind yourself around my legs like a boa constrictor and then try to creep up my body like a koala. I also get a lot of elbows and knee jabs now that your body is more leggy girl child and less soft baby.
2. All of a sudden, you are an early riser. You ninja creep your way down the stairs and help yourself to yogurt. This is all well and good, and I give you kudos for the extra minutes of sleep, but sometimes you also decorate the floor with lotion or get my phone and text my West Coast friends at 3am their time.
1. I am coming to realize that my biggest challenge with you might not be a phase but a matter of temperment. You just do not really care about winning my approval, and you know what, I'm learning to be ok with that! It is a bit baffling to me after two boys who crave a thumbs up, and me myself of course being obsessed with getting gold stars in life, but I am coming to realize that you are a powerful, driven, take no prisoners woman, and you have my admiration. You also have all my marbles in a jar. Can I have a couple back, please?
Top 10 Things I Love About Four
10. I'm listing it lower, because I shouldn't love it, but I can't help it! You bicker with Spork as if you are an old married couple. It is hilarious and adorable. Like most women, you are usually right and he's wrong.
9. You are obsessed with the weather. You want to get weather reports every couple hours.
8. You are brave! When things scare you, you want to learn as much as you can and try your best to confront your fears.
7. Your voice has a crazy adorable quality, and you often pull strange accents...Southern? Cajun? Boston? Pittsburgh? It's all working for you.
6. You always have a baby under your arm. You nurse them, change diapers, soothe them when they cry, and are always ready for a picnic.
5. You tell me your dreams. "I was dreamin' about a lion and some cotton candy!"
4. Your laugh is this burbling brook of delight that ends in a snort. Soooo fantastic.
3. You love to paint and nearly every piece of artwork is for Daddy. Your most recent masterpiece was, "A banana going into the doors of the museum...and here are the potties over here...he's going to play the drums! Painting makes me happy."
2. When I pick you up from preschool, you have the biggest grin on your face and come running for a hug! I have never had to pry you away from your block creation or storytime, you see me and want to drop everything for a cuddle.
1. You are generous with your hugs and offer them to friends and brothers who may be hurt. When the Nugget recently fell down, you even offered your precious ratty Bonky to cheer him up.
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