Three

Dear Matilda-

Your 3rd birthday has come and gone, and a day doesn't pass by that I catch a glimpse of the baby you were and a flash of the little girl you are becoming. The baby features are waning, and the little girl personality is exploding.

You prefer to do pretty much anything and everything by 'your own self', but still prefer to never be too far from you daddy or I's side. You choose playing with us vs. by yourself 99% of the time (sometimes to our dinner's detriment), but that is because one of your favorite activities continues to be reading books.

And while you are working really hard at your letters (you have M and K down pat, thanks to your BFF Kayla), you aren't quite reading by yourself yet. :) You continue to get smarter--your song portfolio growing, you ability to throw out sassy quips rising, and your ability to 'make a deal' and negotiate is both astounding and frightening all at the same time.

You still approach the world with a cautious confidence. Soaking, watching, learning first. And then jumping in once you know you can do it. Grandma and Grandpa got a scooter for you for your birthday, and this is the first time that you've really worked at something you weren't great at, and tried little by little to get better--instead of waiting until perfection struck.

Your cousins are some of your favorite people in the world, even though we don't see them all that much, your adoration is always full. In fact the other night, you said you 'had brothers. cousin brothers.' And so they are.

The world is your oyster, my dear. And your sweet yet sassy personality will light in on fire. It melts our hearts to watch you become such a polite, and thoughtful little girl. Oh sure, there is a LOT of hitting/pushing/yelling at Bea (which drives me bananas). But for each of those--there is a moment where you ask why a person is crying. When you give up your toy for Bea because she is crying. Or when you come running to me to let me know that Bea needs me.

You hold your friends dear. 

I hope you can do this for the rest of your life, because good friends are worth holding on as tight as possible for. Quality over quantity. Pick the people that make you feel good, that make you a better person, and who you can have a good time with. 

Happy Happy my sweet Tillie Mae.

We love you very much, and cannot wait to see what the next year holds for you. If any of our other parent friends can predict the future--it should be a wild ride. Word on the street is that '3' is quite the rollarcoaster compared to 2.

Whatever it holds, we will be on the ride with you--enjoying the ups, and attempting to hang on for the downs. Because with a smile like this--how could we bear to miss a thing?