When you were a baby, once we had figured out that you would, in fact, take a bottle (so long as you were under a ceiling fan with someone stroking your cheek, shushing, and swaying), you became my Mary Poppins baby--practically perfect in every way. You were happy, easy-going, silly, and sweet. You maintained that moniker well into your second year, until we entered what Daddy lovingly referred to as the "age of rage". You got well acquainted with the Time Out Bench during that time, and you gave your mama more than one grey hair. (My hair stylist thanks you for that.) By the time you turned 3--a year ago today--you seemed to be melding my Mary Poppins baby and my *ahem* opinionated toddler into something wonderful and challenging and uniquely you.
Sweetheart, this year has been so much fun.
You have always been ornery, but the older you get, the more wonderful and nuanced your sense of humor gets. You love to be teased as much as you love to tease. You love to come out in the morning and yell "Surpwise!!", and you love to be tickled. It isn't uncommon for you to giggle yourself into a fit of hiccups, which always seems to make you giggle more.
Your relationship with Elaina continues to be one of my favorite things to watch. Minus a few squabbles here and there, you two get along beautifully. Sometimes, you will go off to play together and Daddy and I will just look at each other in surprise, because there were days when you were younger that we thought you'd never want to play on your own. Lately, when you agree on something, one of you will shout, "Now we're besties again!" Where Elaina is sensitive, you are able to calm her. Where you are unreasonable, she is able to make you bend. I am so, so thankful you have one another.
This year, you watched Elaina go to preschool, and though the first few weeks without her were an adjustment, you learned to make the most of your "Ellie time" with Gramma. I can't believe that in a few short weeks you'll be off to preschool yourself. But Ellie, I think you're absolutely going to love it. You love books (particularly those you know Daddy and I are sick to death of reading--see ornery), you are great at counting, you are a budding little artist, and you are starting to learn sight words (thanks, Wallykazam). You are quick to make friends, too--though you are shy around bigger kids, you are completely unafraid to strike up conversation with kids your own age. Sometimes I eavesdrop on your conversations and smile to myself, because among all the other voices, I hear your little chipmunk voice telling the others how it is.
You are our little performer, often disappearing into Gramma's toy room when we come to pick you up, only to announce your arrival in the clack-clack-clack of fake high heels. Oftentimes your getup includes two or three layered skirts, butterfly wings, and a witch's hat. You climb up on to the coffee table and shout your song, and twirl, and it is so, so funny. When you decided that chili was one of your favorite things in the whole world to eat, you made up a chili bean song to sing to yourself every night at bedtime. I love watching what each performance will bring.
You love pickles and Tom and Jerry, and your favorite color is "wainbow". As soon as you come in from the outdoors, you insist on having socks on your feet at all times, even when it's 10000 degrees outside, and heaven forbid you sneeze without a kleenex within a 2 foot radius. You tell us you are a ninja one minute and then show us your ballerina twirls the next. You are my baby who insists on being held and my big girl who insists she can do it herself, thankyouverymuch. You give the best cuddles in the entire world--I am pretty sure Ellie hugs could stop most of the wars in this world.
You are complex, hilarious, and sweet.
I am so proud to be your mama, and I can't wait to watch you grow this year.
Happy birthday, sweetie.
