My Dear Grace,
So this is THREE. It’s hard to believe that it’s already been three years since I sat in an empty recovery room - just waiting to be reunited with the tiny little baby who had been rushed off to the special care unit for 28 and a half hours - but who was counting?! Grace, in the past year, I have seen you absolutely blossom. I have listened to your words and phrases turn into paragraphs and stories. I have watched your clumsy stumble turn into a confident stride. And I have seen what I already thought was a big personality grow into one that is amazingly unique and confident.
This has been a strange, hard year, as the Coronavirus has raged through our world. But I feel lucky and hopeful that you will come out of this unscathed. You love to tell us what we’ll be able to do “after the Coronavirus be all gone,” - but thankfully there have been some great things we’ve been able to do even with it here. Most importantly is the time I’ve been able to spend with you. At just twelve weeks old, I had to return to work and leave you. I wasn’t ready. I cried almost everyday feeling guilty about the time we were losing together. But this year, we had a unique opportunity to be together at this amazing time in your development. Your language has just exploded this year, and I’ve loved listening every minute of it! You’ve grown this amazing imagination, and I’ve loved watching you get lost in play. You’ve become your own personal stylist, and I’ve loved watching the outfits you create - almost always including a pair of sunglasses and boots!
There are so many memorable moments from this third year. You finally enjoyed being out in the snow, and being the adventurer you are, would go “belly whopping” on your sled like Frosty the Snowman. We used the quarantine as a chance to potty train you, and you beamed with pride to earn your M&Ms! Among the most amazing things this year was to watch you become a big sister to Emmy. There is a connection between you two that has been obvious from day one. You have come with me to help change almost every diaper, and you love when I let Emmy snuggle next to you in your bed. I’ll never forget our first camping trip when you locked yourself into the camper and I had to crawl into a storage door to get you out. Or the pure joy I saw one afternoon when I let you run through puddles in the street in your bathing suit after a summer storm. We enjoyed a “hike” at a local field - you were so adamant about bringing your backpack, but I ended up carrying your backpack - and you! - back to the car. I loved seeing your excitement to return to your friends at daycare when it reopened, and your eagerness to impress your gymnastics teacher.
You love the beach, fruit snacks, and your “fancy boots.” You hate wearing pants and ponytails - I hope I forever have a mental image of you running around the house in just a pair of undies - your wild hair all in your face! You love to sing “Someone Else Calling You Baby” by Luke Brian and to say grace at dinner time - which is basically you telling a princess story that starts with “Once upon a time” and ends with, “Amen!” You love pizza and hate pasta. You love stuffing your pockets with rocks and hate keeping your shoes on in the car. You love hoarding toys under your blankets and hate cleaning up. You loved Halloween, but hated carving pumpkins. You love to climb up into Abby’s bed while I read you guys stories, but hate actually going to sleep. Even though your seven month old baby sister sleeps better than you, there’s nothing I love more than having you cuddle up with me and ask for “huggies.”
I think I may copy this into every letter I write to you, but in your first birthday letter, I wrote this: “When you smile, it lights up the room. And when you laugh, it’s absolutely contagious.” Gracie girl - you make me laugh every single day. You are absolutely hysterical and are so incredibly full of personality. When you’re mad, you’re mad! But when you love, you love so hard. You have a presence that is undeniable, and you can bring light to the darkest of moments. Someday, Grace, you are going to hold this world in the palm of your hands - and then you’re going to change it - for the better. And I know it because that’s what you’ve already done to me. So on this third birthday, know that with each year, I see the force you are becoming. I see the fearlessness and the complete ownership of who you are. I see a sense of self and confidence in you that grown adults wish they had. So take notes, my friends. Here is a girl who will change the world - but never compromise who she is to do it.
Happy birthday, Gracie girl. I love you, and all you teach me every day.
Love,
Mama
xxx
