3 years old!

Dear Ellie,

Happy 3rd birthday sweet Ellie Belly! I have been so looking forward to writing this letter as I have many things to share with you about this past year. 

Three years ago when you were born I had no idea that I was about to face the most exhausting few months of my life. You were a hard baby. You were grumpy all the time and sleep was a word whose meaning you didn't understand. But then those first few months passed and as you got older and we fixed your tummy troubles you slept better and turned into a happy baby. And then one day I found you and Emmie on the floor of the bathroom dumping out all the soap, having the time of your life and I knew without a doubt that it was your idea and that you were going to give me a run for my money!

Ellie, you are always up to something and I just never know what crazy idea you'll come up with next but I can always predict that when all is said and done you'll have some how convinced me that "maybe it's a little funny" (which is what you told me one day when I told you that something you were doing wasn't funny...in the end I decided maybe you were right!). I always tell people that when you're up to no good it's not because you're trying to be bad but it's just because you thought it would be fun and you love to have fun! You are so full of joy and I love that about you and I love that your joy is infectious...we just can't help but laugh when you're around. One of my favorite things about you is your laugh. You have the best giggle and it makes me smile every time I hear you laugh. You also have really funny mannerisms and expressions and we just never know what is going to come out of your mouth (you also seem to have no filter which makes me a little nervous sometimes when we're out in public!). One thing I love about your personality is that you usually realize when you need to step back from playing and take a break. Sometimes you'll be playing with Emmie and you'll very quietly go to your room and read a book for a few minutes and then go back to playing. I love that you've learned the need for "recharging" time so early in life.

This year has been a big year for you and you've handled it so well. I said this time last year that if you could handle this year, you could handle anything and you have way exceeded my expectations! This year not only were you a two year old which is challenging enough but Emmie started preschool, we potty trained you, you moved from your crib in your own room to a big girl bed in Emmie's room, we went to Disney World (and had a wonderful, wonderful time), and you became a big sister (and all this happened over the course of four months)! You took each change in stride and that is so your personality...you just adapt to whatever curve ball life throws at you. I know that this personality trait will serve you well in life! You also took swim lessons this year and after an awful first day (you'd told me for months that you were NOT going to put your head under the water and you protested loudly when they told you that you had to) you settled down and by the end of the week you were having so much fun swimming. You've done really well with your swimming this summer and you have NO fear which makes me quite fearful! I think the way you swim says a lot about your personality...you jump in head first and you have a big grin on your face the whole time you're under the water which makes me laugh every time we go to the pool!
I have enjoyed watching you become a big sister. I was really worried about how you would adjust as you have always enjoyed being the baby. I shouldn't have worried at all! When we brought Ruthie home you came over, looked at her, and went right on with life. You pretty much ignored Ruthie for the first few months but now that she is starting to play with toys you love to get in the floor with her and play and read books to her. Ruthie adores you and smiles when you walk in the room. I know she can't wait to be able to play with you and Emmie!

I love watching you learn Ellie. When you crawled you didn't crawl until 10 months but you crawled really well. You didn't walk till 15 months but the next day you started running. You sort of counted to three at 2 years old and then one day you counted to 12. Whereas Emmie did most things early and you could watch her get progressively better at the skill, you do things later but do it really well at the beginning. I love how even though you and Emmie are so close in age and such good friends you are very different people and have very different personalities.
Ellie, this year you have become a book lover! I never thought that my child who wouldn't listen to a book other than brown bear for the first year of her life would turn into the child constantly begging me to read to her! You will even sit and listen to chapter books! I hope you always love books as much as you do now!
You are such a trooper and you rarely complain. You were sick for most of the month of December and we were so busy that I didn't even realize until you were better just how sick you had been. You never complained though, you just did whatever we asked of you and all you wanted in return was a few extra snuggles during the day (and we were happy to oblige!). Looking back over the last few years I see that pattern over and over. Things that would have made other babies scream and scream just made you grumpy. I think you're a lot tougher than we give you credit for!

This coming year is a big year for you. You get to go to preschool two days a week and you get to go to dance with Emmie. Last year we were always telling you that you couldn't do things until you were three and now three is here and I think you're going to love being three! I can't wait to see what other fun adventures the next year holds for us and I look forward to watching your personality develop and grow even bigger.
I love you Ellie Belly!