Three Year Old Letter

My Dearest Mermaid,

Wow. Three years old. I never knew that someone so young could be so utterly and wonderfully amazing, and have such a powerful and wonderful impact on my life.

My baby girl, My sweetie, My honey bunny. All names that I call you with affection. But more and more you are insisting that you are no longer those things, that you are a big girl. You are now at a stage where you are walking the line between being an independent young girl and a little baby girl who still needs her Mommy.

You love to help out around the house and you love to help out with your sister. If the Guppy so much as thinks about crying you try everything in your power to keep her happy. You are so emphatic with people; if you sense that they are sad you ask them what is wrong and tell them not to worry. You are so good at voicing your feelings, you are never afraid to tell me that "I am a happy Mermaid!" or "I am a sad Mermaid," etc. I love how you can do this, how you realize that voicing your emotions is a powerful and effective way to communicate with people.

You never fail to make me laugh at least five times a day. You devour books but snub food, preferring only to eat a minuscule amount each day. You love cuddles, hugs, and kisses. And you especially love the Daddy Time that you get when I have to work at night. You get along so well with other children, interacting with them in such a way that everyone somehow ends up feeling happy.

Words cannot describe how much I love you, my Dearest Mermaid. And so, I will instead list the things that I love about you, that make me smile when I am down and that remind me that life is worth living. Happy Birthday, My lovely Mermaid! You are everything to me!

65 Things I Love About My Mermaid: A Birthday List

1. The way you give hugs

2. The way you give kisses

3. The way you laugh that cute little laugh that you know will make me laugh so hard I snort

4. The fact that you are so good with your little sister

5. That you love to be tickled

6. That you love tickling people

7. The way your voice sounds when you are talking to me on the phone when I'm at work

8. The way you say "I love you"

9. The way you say "I missed you"

10. That you can sing so many children's song by heart.

11. That you love to sing "You Are My Sunshine" to me

12. That you love to sing

13. That you like to hear me sing

14. That you have such a large appetite for learning

15. That you are always so willing to help people whenever you can

16. That you are so friendly and honest

17. The way you tumble and jump around and like to try to do flips off the couch

18. Even though it always nearly gives me a heart attack and you laugh

19. The way you get so excited when your Daddy gets home

20. The way you get just as excited for me when I get home

21. The way we can take you anywhere because you are so content and calm

22. Even though sometimes your energy explodes out of your little body and we end up chasing you throughout the store

23. That you have not yet shown yourself to having a single mean bone in your body

24. That you love to dance any place, any time

25. That you dance better than me.

26. That even though I look foolish when I dance, you aren't embarrassed to have me dance with you in public.

27. That whenever I get dressed and ready for the day, you tell me I look "boooootiful"

28. That you say I look beautiful even on the days that I don't.

29. That even when I slip up and lose my temper and yell too much, at the end of the day you still give me a hug and kiss goodnight and tell me that you love me.

30. That you have this amazing capacity to forgive.

31. That you love animals.

32. Even though you haven't caught yet to the idea that hugging the cat who has sharp claws when she is cranky isn't a good idea.

33. How cute you look when you play dress up

34. How cute you look when you are sleeping.

35. How cute you look all the time.

36. How you choose fruits and veggies over cookies and candy.

37.The way you love to brush your teeth.

38. The way you love to brush your hair.

39. The way you love to brush my hair

40. Even when my hair is snarly and it becomes quite a task.

41. That I can walk through a toy store with confidence, knowing I won't hear "Mommy I want I want I want"

42. How you are only three years old and already your shoe fetish is worse than mine

43. How you already have more shoes than I do

44. How you steal and wear mine anyway

45. How you don't discriminate, because you steal your daddy's shoes too

46. How you help me put away the groceries

47. That you LOVE to dust furniture.

48. How if you see the Guppy holding a small toy, you take it away so she won't choke on it.

49. The way you count in Spanish

50. The way you count in German

51. Even the way you count in English

52. How you love to "read" the Guppy books

53. How you have such an amazing imagination.

54. How you greet everyone who walks through our door with a smile and laugh

55. How you can make your grandma laugh

56. In fact, you can make her laugh first thing in the morning

57. Before she's had her coffee

58. When the rest of us can't even utter a word to her.

59. How you think it's hilarious when Mommy's legs get too hairy

60. That the first thing you do when you wake up is smile

61. That you are absolutely fearless

63. That you are always up to trying new things

64. That you are so artistic

65. That I can look at you and know without doubt that you feel loved and secure and our family, and that you never hesitate to come to me when you need a helping hand or just a shoulder to cry on.

Three Year Old Letter