To Alex On Your 3rd Birthday

Dear Alex,

Happy Birthday! Today you are 3 years old. 

In the past year, we’ve watched you grown from a toddler into a spunky little girl. You are funny, sweet and full of life. This year, you started school, started sleeping in a bed and stopped wearing diapers. You believe you are every bit a “big kid” even though I remind you every night that you will always be my baby. You are very independent and like to do things on your own. You don’t mind if your clothes are on backwards and your shoes are on the wrong feet, you just want to be sure you did it on your own. You also love to help out, especially in the kitchen. You help me make dinner almost every night. 

You are fast. You love to run. For the past few months, your favorite thing is hoping out of the stroller once I say it’s safe, and then you run as fast as you can to our house. You run laps around the yard and love races on the beach. Sometime you scare me when you run because you like to look back the whole time to make sure your always “winning the race”. 

You bring joy to our family each and every day. 

You are brave. One of my favorite things this year, was watching you learn to swim in the bay. I didn’t sign you up, just your sister. After a few days of playing in the sand and watching Maggie learn to swim, you told me you wanted to try too. I remember watching you, with your little goggles on, battling the waves, determined to swim. I couldn’t believe you weren’t scared. 

 

You love your sister. You tell her that all the time. You are always telling her she looks beautiful and that she’s the best sister. You stick by her side, and watch her every move. If anyone gives her a hard time, you step right in and tell them “leave my sister alone, she’s a princess”. 

You are our little sweetheart. As tough, stubborn and active as you are all day long, you are the sweetest little girl in the world. You love to snuggle and give us hugs and kisses all day. I must call you “sweetie pie” more than I realize, because now all of your dolls are named “my sweetie pie”. My favorite part of our day is when you ask for snuggles at bedtime. You snuggle in tight and pat my far with your little hand. 

A little more about you:

You have grown so much in 12 months! You are now 31 lbs and 37 inches tall.

Your favorite things to play: You love to play “family” and tell us all who we will be. You love to dance and play outside. You also love to set up the doll house and princess castle with your toys.

Favorite foods: Cheese and mac & cheese

Your favorite books: The Best Nest. You love to read and now you love to read to me: sometime you’ve memorized the book and sometimes you make up the story, but we love listening to you!

Favorite Show: Dora & Friends and Sheriff Callie

Favorite items: You still can’t part with “bitty nugglity” (your binky & snuggly blankets). You love baby dolls, your shopping cart and princess figurines. 

You are so excited it’s your birthday and keep reminding us how “big you growed” today. You proudly hold up 3 fingers and tell us all the things you can do now that your are three years old. In a few weeks, you’ll be a big sister. But still, Alex Frances, you will always be my little baby. You bring our family joy every single day and we love you more and more every minute. Happy 3rd birthday! 

Love, Mom