My baby girl is 4

Dear Lily,

4 days ago, you celebrated your 4th birthday. We started the countdown 5 days prior to that, and each night before bedtime you would know how many "sleeps" until it was your birthday. Gran, Grampa and Uncle Shane were here for your birthday, so the apartment was decorated and filled with love when you woke up on your special day.

It's been a whirlwind summer so far, but through the chaos I've seen one pretty big recent change. You now are an expert climber! You are suddenly climbing steadily to the tops of playground equipment that before I would have never dreamed I'd see you at the top of! And you are finding ways to climb things that don't have a conventional ladder, like the (stationary) horse-drawn wagon at the park. You clambered up and over the wheel into the back of the wagon like you'd been doing it all along. And the mountain-climbing walls are no match for you, either. The monkey bars are your next goal. There aren't any short monkey bars we've found around, but with me supporting a bit of your weight from below, you are able to swing yourself across the tall ones no problem!

Your creative side has remained a constant presence around the house. I find your little doodles and signature everywhere - on bills, on the mail, on my day planner, anywhere that paper and any kind of writing instrument is close at hand, there is a doodle.

Your drawings have started to have definite character. Like this doodle you did on the ferry coming back from Vancouver Island the day before your birthday:
Clearly, a butterfly with fuzzy slippers standing on a flower. Gran loved this drawing so much that we sent it home with her to it's place of honour on her fridge.

Yesterday you did portraits of Tatus and I:


Mommy

Tatus

You are becoming quite a painter, too. Watercolour is your favourite right now. You painted these butterflies recently, and as you showed me, proclaimed "I'm the best painter EVER!" I love your confidence!

And, oh, how you love to dance. Every now and then I'm able to ignore my own awkwardness and twirl and skip right along with you. But most of the time, I'm just a captive audience. You do dance so well, and watching how you interpret the music of Vivaldi with your body was one of the greatest moments of my life.

Right up there with your year-end piano recital. I can't believe I didn't write about this in June. It was originally going to be a recital in a church or hall, but there were some difficulties so it was just the families of your classmates and we had the recital in your teacher's house. There were still over 20 people in the room, and you'd been hesitant before to play in front of your classmates, so this recital, your decision to go up and play all on your own when you felt comfortable with it, well, it was a pretty big moment!


It's funny, I never realized that with having kids I'd be watching an entire person grow and develop. I mean, I knew that, but to watch the tiny characteristics appear, and how I get to know you a little better every day, well, I had no idea I was in for so much fun. Imaginary things are very fun these days. You and Lukasz are always sneaking up to me and yelling "Surprise! It's your birthday!!!" and then giving me a big piece of invisible cake complete with plate and fork. And then with a wide sweeping motion of your arms you show me all the (also invisible) decorations and balloons.

Then there's the way you are always wanting to share your food with me, or when we sit down to yet another dinner of chicken, rice and raw veggies and you say "Thank you for the delicious food, Mommy".

Sigh.

There are so many ways I feel I could be such a better mom, but you do in your own little ways make me feel very special every day.

One area I feel I have really succeeded in as far as being a mom goes is BOOKS. Most days I read books with you two until my mouth dries out. Our library basket is always being refilled and we get to the library every one or two weeks.

One recent evening you surprised me by "reading" (describing) an entire Richard Scarry book to Lukasz, telling him what was going on on each page, it took over 10 minutes, enough time for me to put the finishing touches on dinner and get it on the table. My next goal in this area is to have a story-drawing area with some premade little paper books that you can fill with drawings and I can help you write the story that goes with them. We'd done this months back and I'm excited to see what you and Lukasz come up with now.

You also have quite the affinity for flowers. On a recent visit to Kelowna you got to help Gran pick out some flowers for her baskets and you were thrilled with the task. Of course, the first pink flowers you saw were the ones you wanted! :)
In the springtime when gardens were in full bloom, the constant refrain from the backseat was "Mommy look at those flowers. Look! Look!" And when we are on walks you are always cupping blooms in your hands and coaxing me over to take a closer look at each one.

You are a special, special little lady. And you do bring me joy each day. I feel so very very lucky to be your mom. I don't know that there is any feeling more powerful than a parents' love for a child. I've never felt anything quite as strong as the love I have for you and Wooch. I'm so very proud of you, of your interests and of your accomplishments.

This is going to be a big year for you, starting preschool (which is a whole other post!), starting dance lessons, and I wish many days of sunshine and happiness for you.

I love you sweetheart.

Love,
Mommy