Adelaide Jane: 3 Years

Dearest Adelaide Jane,

I can barely believe that I am writing you a letter about the young age of 3! How have you graced us with your presence for the last three year?! In some ways, it simply doesn't seem possible. In other ways, I cannot remember one piece of my life without you in it. I remember being afraid that I wouldn't recall all of the details of the day you were born as time passed. So I find relief in being able to describe every second of August 30, 2012. The day my life forever changed for the better. The day I became a mother. The day my beautiful Adelaide Jane was born.

You are such a blossoming little girl. Each day I learn something new from and about you. Your little brain is on rapid speed, soaking up everything around you. You hardly miss a beat! You know the days of the week and love to sing a song about it that you learned from school. Your vocabulary astounds me. You love to sing to any music and you have so many songs memorized. You sing to Aspen (mostly the ABC song) when he is cranky or needs a good laugh. You love your French book and like to practice counting from 1 to 10 in English and French. You are able to memorize any book and when I flip through the pages you often read me the story. You also like to read to your baby brother Aspen. Your favorites include Virgo, I'm a Big Sister, That's Not My Mermaid, and Peek-a-Boo Baby. Speaking of Virgo, that little book that Mimi gave you is SPOT on about your personality :)

I often see the best and the worst of me in you. That is hard to swallow and I take for granted that you repeat most anything ...grrrr! You have quite the little back talking mouth little missy. You point your finger at me and say "no you in charge!" I think you mean to say that you are in charge ha! You also say "shut it up" which I often tell to the dog to do when he is barking while someone is sleeping! Oops didn't think you would catch on to that one so quickly :(

To off-set some of your three-nager behavior, I developed a sticker rewards chart for you. The categories are listening, manners, no tantrums, and putting your toys away. When you get three stickers, you get to pick your reward. The choices are ice cream, a Starbucks vanilla bean milkshake, Playdoh, or a date with mommy. You have done pretty well with this concept and it has made times together much more pleasant. **Side note, you love those Starbucks milkshakes!

You have been very busy over the last 6 months...traveling to Naples for Spring Break, Michigan for Aunt Amanda's baby shower, trips to Kentucky, and a Collins family vacation to the Bahamas. You also did 6 weeks of summer camp, 3 days a week where you took tennis lessons, swim lessons, and played your heart out. The last day of camp you begged me not to go home! I am so proud of you for adjusting and playing and being open to the world around you!

Bahamas...a heart made for friendship

first day of camp

The last few months wouldn't be complete without a few minor bumps...as in your having a sticker removed from your nose that was up there for Lord knows how long! You also got your first bee sting which phased you for all of 5 seconds until you were back in the pool. Phew!

Hard to believe it but you have two new baby girl cousins: Sawyer Lynn Collins and Kindrick Lee Corrigan. This family is overflowing with girls!!

Some of your favorite things include the Little Mermaid, Cinderella, Rapunzel (or Topunzel as you call her), Bubble Guppies, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Sophia, driving your mustang around the driveway, chasing your brother around the house, playing in Aspen's teepee, cuddling with mommy & daddy, napping in your sleeping bag, being tickled, eating ice cream, drinking yogurt from a straw, french toast, walking Beaumont, and helping in any way possible. You get yourself dressed in the morning. You like to wear jewelry that Mimi gave you. You tote around your make-up bag and love playing dress up especially the high heels. 

love those Starbucks milkshakes

your first manicure

Hershey, PA

always helping baby Aspen

We have enjoyed several mommy/daughter experiences lately: Starbucks, manicures, & a movie! A day I will always cherish. An overnight trip with your best friend Caileigh and her mommy to Hershey, PA. You two thought you were so big as you roasted s'mores and had a sleepover followed by a big day at the amusement park! A road trip with Allie & Ms. Marissa to Sesame Place where you little divas watched your iPads and peed in the "green" potty countless times along the way! In the Bahamas, we paddled down the "lazy/rapid" river with joy and excitement. We got to swim and splash and make a stuffed poodle dressed in a bikini/cover up together. Making a lifetime of memories together has been refreshing during this season of life.

We have definitely weathered this mother-child journey together. I would like to say it has been all daisies & roses, but we all know that ain't the truth! We have our moments of rockiness when we both are with high emotions. It makes for quite a dynamic ordeal. I have not always been graceful or patient in mothering you and for that I feel daily guilt. You will understand once you become a mother. As the oldest child, I know that we are the "experiment" which comes with pluses and minuses. You are the only one who will ever know what it was like to be the only child per se. You are the only one who had my 100% full attention for some part of your life. That is something that I cherish knowing now with Mimi and it is something that I hope you will cherish one day too. On the flip side, I am shorter with you as I expect more from your little body & brain. I see your wiseness and intelligence which often misleads me to believe that you are much older than 3! 

Yet despite the hick ups and the rough times, I wouldn't trade one second of our lives together Adelaide Jane. Because I am who I am by having the pleasure of being your mom. And you are who you are because you are my daughter. You are beautiful inside and outside. You are quick to help a friend and you love to hug & kiss family and friends. You have great manners for a child your age which I am very proud of. Your heart is sweet even when you are upset. Deep down you are a lover and I hope that is something that never changes. Sometimes you get so excited about something and you talk about it in this way that puts your innocence on full display. It melts my heart and brings tears to my eyes. There is so much that I want to bottle up and soak in forever. I don't want to forget the sweet things, the little moments, the parts that make it worth the daily struggle.

As we move along and grow together, I see us getting stronger & better with time. Spending that one-on-one time again has proved to be a blessing for us both. Moments that I will forever cherish. I do as a daughter with your Mimi and now as a mom with you!

I love you with all of my heart. 

I love you!

Love,

Mommy!