You are my most favorite daughter I've ever had!

Dear Babe,

Ok, you can stop growing right now. I think you're perfect right here. You’ve officially outgrown your Terrible Two’s (can you hear the choir of angels signing joyously? I can!) and you are really starting to form your personality. I mean, you’ve been your own person for a while now but I don’t know, you are almost showing a maturity that I’m not used to in a 3 year old. Last night as you hung out with me while I was doing my homework (and by hung out I mean refusing to go to sleep, but not doing so in a mean way, just letting me know that you are not interested in going to bed until you absolutely have to – which means when I finally shut the light and go to bed myself) you really impressed me. You’ve been impressing me a lot lately.

For about a week now you’ve been waking up and getting yourself dressed before you even come out of your room. Not only do you dress yourself but you fold your pajamas and make your bed. I don’t even do that! When we called Super Grandma the other day you immediately remembered she wasn’t feeling well even though I hadn’t spoken to you about it in a few days and you asked her how she was feeling. It was incredibly sweet and I know it meant a lot to Super Grandma! And last night, after a few hours of refusing to stay in your bedroom you finally gave in. As you left my room you shut the door (to save us from feline mischief in the night) but burst back in just to say thank you for taking you to the NY State Fair and to tell me that you had a great time. Really, you’re three! Who does that at 3? I love you baby girl! I am proud of who you are becoming and I hope Dad and I do all the right things to nurture this wonderful little girl we see before us. You are thoughtful, so very thoughtful, and I’m not sure who you learned that from but I’m positive it’s not me. I’m so glad you picked it up and I pray you don’t lose it.

Don’t get me wrong, you can still be a terror (in the nicest possible way of course), I mean, you are still only 3. Sometimes you don’t like to share, and yesterday you bit Bud because he got in your way (WTF was that about?) but overall you are becoming a charming little girl and I am happy and proud to be your mama! I can't wait to see you grow and mature even more. We got a lot of miles to go kiddo and I'm looking forward to only the good ones all of it!

I love you for real life.

Love Mom

Lily