Thirty Four Months!

My beautiful big girl Bowen,

Happy 34th month! You're my sun and stars, baby, and it your love amazes me daily. I'm in awe of how far we've made it - you haven't been here that long, yet thinking about life before you is so strange also.

The biggest highlight of this month was you starting preschool. Preschool, Bono! Can you even believe what a big girl you are?! We talked about this momentous event a lot beforehand, and your opinions wavered daily. Some part of you was happy and excited, and a little part of you kept warning me that you didn't want mommy and daddy "going bye-bye" and that you would most certainly cry if and when we left. Well, the first day was a success. There were a lot of nerves (mostly mine) and all of us walked you there, minus your puppy. I went in with you first, and you were very shy (as you told me you would be). Eventually you asked for daddy to come in, so we switched. After daddy stayed with you for about ten minutes, you told him it was okay to leave, and we anxiously awaited for the end of class just outside the door. 45 minutes later you were done, and came out happy and smiling! Your teachers really made you feel at easy and comfortable, and it showed! Today it was just me dropping you off. Getting you there in time for the early 8:45 start is tough, but with you having two painfully punctual people for parents, I know we'll always be able to manage. Today you sat right down to do a painting, and when I told you I was going to leave and come get you in a bit with Baden, you hesitantly said okay. An hour and a half later you popped back out and were as happy as you could be! You told me about the things you'd talked about at school, and even stepped back in to say "bye!" to your teachers a second time! You spent a long time playing in the playground after school amidst the bigger elementary school kids and seemed to be having a ball! I'm so thrilled for you, my baby, of how you're coming into your own. It's incredible to see you stepping out of your shell and becoming more strong and confident in who you are on your own. It makes me beam with pride to see you as this grown up little girl, laughing, smiling, and speaking in full sentences. I'm happy with our decision to send you to this preschool this year, and I know you'll have a great time in the next couple of years.

This month has been full of newness and change, as fall often is. We've been transitioning from the lax and freedom that summer entails, into more of a regimented schedule. I think everyone is happy with a schedule - you like knowing what to expect and we seem to function better with order all around. Your favourite activities this month are reading, running, and playing in the playground. You're so brave, my little monkey. You had your first big fall the other day, and it just freaked me right out. You were walking to the very top of the playground, by the big kid slide. As you neared the top you fell through the bars and sailed (seemingly in slow motion) all the way to the ground. You feel totally parallel to it and actually bounced twice. After a terrifying moment of silence, you screamed as I'd never heard you scream before. Aaaand, I've heard you scream before! You recovered quite quickly, but the whole way home you were telling me that it wasn't so much "owwy," but just "very 'cary!" The next day you were totally ready to head back out to the playground, just as if nothing happened. Your favourite game this month is "being puppies." You crawl around with Sandwiches, telling me that "all puppies are hungry now! all puppies want a walk now! all puppies are thirsty!" Then, eventually you get into his bed for a cuddle, telling us that "all puppies are tired now!" You love it when I give you a bowl of water to drink off the floor. You're very sweet with your puppy lately, and in fact, with all dogs that you meet in our travels. This month you're quite fond of saying, "I'm still little, mama!" and certainly, I so agree, my baby.

Finally, at almost three, we've gotten into a good bedtime routine. Since you don't nap now, you're pretty exhausted in the early evening, so I moved our family dinner time up until six. This makes everything a tad more rushed, but it also is better in the end because you're more of a participant in our dinners. After dinner you get to play, or bathe, or spend some time with our students before you declare that you're "tired!" and head off to bed. In bed you get one book, some milk, and I tell you: "Do you know that you're strong? And brave? And beautiful? And smart? Do you know that I love you?" Most days you know all this, and I know that as you grow, what you hear over and over is what you'll believe. So this is what you'll believe.

My darling baby, I see both your father and me in you, but mostly you are yourself. You ARE strong and brave and beautiful and smart, and you show us this every single day. You're determined, and you don't let us forget it. I grow as a mama while you grow as a girl, and I'm loving every minute with you.

Happy thirty four months, Bowen Naomi!

I love you forever,

-Your Mama