Tomorrow morning I'll be driving you to preschool! I can barely believe it. You are 3 1/2 years old and aside from family, I've never left you in anyone else's care. When we talk about starting school you are a little in disbelief I think but, seemingly excited all the same. Tonight we talked a lot about what you might be doing at school and your playgroup friends who'll be in your class with you (Milo, Hunter, Kayla and Lori). Before going to bed we picked out your outfit for your first day and cuddled a little as you always request; "I want you to lay down with me a libble bit". I only stayed a minute as I needed to rush downstairs and prepare your backpack and lunch before your baby brother woke up and derailed my preparations for tomorrow morning. My alarm is set and my box of tissues is in the car. I hope I won't cry too hard and embarrass us both. I'm so glad Crossfit is right next door to your class so I can hang out with Aunt Ginger while I compose myself, dry my tears and try to spend the 5 hours you're in school doing something productive.
I can't help thinking about your life these past 3 1/2 years at a time like this. From the moment I found out I was pregnant with you to the present, I feel like I remember every detail although I'm sure I actually don't. It would have been so nice if I was one of those people that was really good about journaling or at least chronicling in some way all the milestones and cute things you've done. I've got loads of pictures but hardly a written or typed word to go along with them. I do remember some things; You were holding your head up before we even left the hospital, your umbilical cord came off at 14 days and I labored over keeping it for a couple days and decided not to because it just looked yucky. I hope you won't be upset about that later. If it makes you feel better, I didn't keep your brother's either. At 4 months you were rolling over and at 5 you sat up without support. By 6 months you were crawling all over but wasn't comfortable walking on your own until 13 months. Even so, you were thrilled to scale all the furniture by 9 months and walk all over as long as you were holding a hand or something. You were a very easy going and fairly happy baby. For comfort you suck your middle and ring finger on your right hand. You started doing this by 2 months old. I tried to encourage the pacifier, worrying how hard it could be for you to break the finger sucking habit later but you refused and are still sucking those fingers today. I hope you will be able to break that habit more easily than it was for me to stop sucking my thumb. Twirling your hair also gives you comfort and it is usually done with the left hand as you suck your right fingers. Your preference is to twirl my hair or whomever might have been holding you but if there wasn't anyone else's hair in your reach, you were content with your own. You were born of average size and quickly became a "chunk" but, as soon as you started crawling, you went petite and never looked back. You are a tiny peanut and people can hardly stand how cute you are. I take this as a huge compliment as I think you are amazingly adorable and everyone says how much you remind them of me when I was your age. You are crazy particular. Everything has a place, purpose, order etc....and if anyone tries to change any of it without you making the decision to do it, they will hear an earful from you. This was never more evident than when you turned 3. It was almost overnight that all of a sudden you were going to vocally express your desires and people were going to be cool with that, period. You will still be shy as your nature has been all along. If you do talk to people, it's usually with a mumbling inaudible voice. However, if you're around people you know, we are now lucky to always have wonderful Gwendolyn chatter in our ears. You say the most wonderful things. I kick myself at how many times you've said something awesome and I didn't write it down somewhere to remember it later. At the very least, I will usually call your Dad or someone to recite whatever amazing dialog has come from you. As laid back as you have been starting as an infant, you will have the occasional tantrum. Until age 3, you've always kept them at home but now, you will have them wherever we might be at the time. Just today you threw a doozie of a tantrum in HEB while your Dad, Brother and myself were trying to run in quickly for some necessities. You were angry to have to share the cart with Link. Usually, it doesn't come to a tantrum with you though, threatening time out is generally enough and you stop whatever behavior is getting you in trouble. I'm having to learn patience as you want to do "everything by myself!" It often takes you forever and we are often late because of it but, such is life. I'm amazed at the concepts you grasp, the things you can do and how fast you can learn almost anything. Aside from doing everything by yourself what truely makes you happy these days is having "piggies" in your hair (your choice is always to have 2 pigtails and has been for over a year) and wearing "a sparkly dress" because you always say "I'm not a princess unless I'm wearing a sparkly dress". Luckily you have an abundant supply of "sparkly dresses" as almost your entire wardrobe has come from your cousin Delaney and she too loved all the Disney Princesses. Your favorite shows are "The Little Einsteins" and "Super Why". Of course, as with all things, they must be watched in order, first you watch The Little Einsteins and then you watch Super Why. You also love playing at the park but mostly on the swing. Once you're on the swing there is huge bargening to get you off and let someone else take a turn. Sidewalk chalk and coloring in general are a couple more of your favorite past times. It'll be interesting to see what things become your favorite after being in school. While you're at school you'll have lots of different activities to include gymnastics and cooking class. Maybe instead of the swing you'll only want to do somersalts?? I can't wait to see what things become your favorite.
Gwendolyn, you are a sweet and wonderful child. I'm the luckiest Mom on earth. It's a privilege and a joy to raise you. I hope I don't do anything to screw you up ;o)
I Love you the most,
Mommy
