I've been remiss in posting here. Somehow the past year has just slipped away from me. But I could not miss writing to about your third birthday. Tara, you are now a bright, vibrant three year old. You weigh 35lbs and are 39 inches tall.You've been three for 25 days. 25 busy, event filled days! We've had an action packed month, lady!
Your Grandparents, my mom and dad, came for a visit for your actual birthday. They stayed for a week and you loved the fact that they brought their pet parrot, Sassy, and that Grandma took you on your favorite "horse", Seaweed, on the carousel at the zoo. You asked for a "Silly Rapunzel" birthday party and that's exactly what you got. Your party had pink cake, paper lanterns, lots of bubbles and lots of friends. You, my dear, are clearly loved.
On the day you turned 3, June 1st, we said goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa as they returned home. Two days later you and I got on a very large plane and flew to the other side of the country to visit your Maga and Papa, daddy's parents. They were so excited to see you! You've grown quite a bit since they last saw you. Although you had some rough spots settling in among the new place, new people, and new time zone, overall you did fantastically. You helped Maga feed all of her fish every day, and many days you fed the dogs, Tucker and Lady, and Daisy, the cat. While we were there we went to the beach with your cousins, picked strawberries, explored a castle-like house, saw some really cool cars, got to ride on a steam train, and eve got to see real dinosaur footprints! Down the line, you may not remember this particular trip but let me tell you, that was one heck of a summer visit to Maga's!
Over the last year we've watched you grow an incredible amount. You've always been an advanced talked and that hasn't changed, yet since you've turned 3 we've noticed that some of the misspoken words that remind of us the baby you once were are now dropping away. For as long as you've known who she is, you've pronounced the super hero Wonder Woman (your absolute favorite super hero) as "Wonder Homen". Just a few days ago, you woke up saying Wonder Homen and went to bed saying Wonder Woman. Another piece of my baby girl slipped away. The big girl who is taking her place, though, is pretty fantastic.
You like all things pink. If pink, on anything, is a choice, that's the one you'll pick. You like Disney Princesses. Ariel, Rapunzel, and Aurora are your favorites. You adore all things mermaid and you're rather fond of unicorns. My Little Pony is a big hit in this house. Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity are your gals, in that exact order. You enjoy books about ballet and fancy things. Yet, for all that, you also adore your super heros, stomp your dinosaurs through the mud and into the waters of bath time, and have no qualms whatsoever about playing in the dirt. I can't seem to keep your face clean anymore! You are definitely your own girl and I love getting to watch that girl develop and grow.
If asked, you're quick to tell people that your favorite animals are flamingos and dolphins. You can mostly count to 20 and are beginning to recognize letters of the alphabet in the world around you. My heart smiles when you stop to point and proudly exclaim "T! T for Tara!". Books are still a big part of your world, and hopefully will always be. Lately, you prefer to have us tell you stories at bed time, stories out of our imagination. Your own imagination is growing by leaps and bounds. I love to listen to you playing with your toys. Perhaps you'll be telling us stories soon. You still sleep with a blanket over your head (but, thankfully, you now actually sleep!).
For all of the fun that we have with you, I'm not going to lie and say that 2 was easy on this house. They don't call them the terrible twos for nothing and you, at 2, really gave us a run for our money. From what we can tell, 3 is starting out the same way. You're a vibrant, energetic child with a stubborn, willful streak a mile long. You're both very independent and terribly dependent, mainly on me, depending on the situation. You tend to be shy when first meeting people and need some time before opening up. Social situations with peers can sometimes be difficult for you, as you learn to interact, play, and share. You don't like to listen to mommy and daddy, because you'd much rather be doing exactly what you want to be doing. Right now you often are overwhelmed by huge emotions that your young brain and body just don't know how to handle yet. This is a daily struggle, but we'll work through them, together. You don't take our word on anything, which is a trait that may serve you well down the road. You really make me think about what raising a child is all about.
You are also inquisitive, joyful, adventurous, silly, and loving. Your smile melts my heart (especially your "cheese!" face for photos!). You have a fantastic memory. You try very hard to help us in everything we do. You remind us to slow down and see the fun in life. You still hold our hands and ask us to swing you.
I love you with all of my heart, my big three year old girl. Let's see what this next year holds for us, together, shall we?
Love,
Momma
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