Fourty Three Months!

My sweet little Bowen Naomi,

Happy fourty three months, baby girl! This month we embark into your third summer, and it's shaping up to be the most exciting yet. You talk about summer all the time, and while you haven't yet grasped the fact that our days will be more open and more free, you seem incredibly keen for all these coming months have to hold.

This month, I've seen the biggest development in you come through socially. So many times I've observed you going up to another child and asking if you can play with them. On the few ocassions when you've received a negative response, you simply move on and ask the next person. You love playing with other kids, and seeing you do this - simply engage in unstructured and imaginative play is amazing. It makes me wish that friendships were as easy to make as an adult. Perhaps they should be! We've continued on for the last little bit of swimming, gymanstics, and preschool. Your preschool is about to finish for the year, and it's still amazing for me to think about the incredible growth and change that you've had in the first year. You're nothing like the little baby I dropped off last September with tears in both our eyes. Nowadays you have no qualms about being left and generally give me a cheery goodbye as you set out on whatever interesting topic you're scheduled to learn that day. The same goes with staying with other people: you absoutely adore the times you get to stay on your own with your grandma. You look forward to it all week, and absolutely love all the attention and time devoted to you. I can see why! You're so lucky to get such special time with such special people. This month you even had a sleepover at Grandma's house and loved it! You were quite proud that you stayed in your bed all night! It's so lovely watching you learn and grow, and in turn show such pride. I love it. I love you, my little girl.

We've had some exciting events this past month. It was your little brother's first birthday, and for this you were very excited. You told him all about cakes, cupcakes, balloons, guests. You were thrilled to help him blow out his candles and open his gifts. I was impressed in your understanding that it was his birthday and not yours, and also in your willingness to participate. You also took your bunny stuffed animal to a sleepover at the library earlier in the month. We drove her there, and as we walked her in you told her that sometimes you were scared too, but not too worry because you'd be back. There were a bunch of kids there to drop off their animals too, and after some stories and songs, everyone tucked away their animals and tiptoed out of the room. When I asked you if you thought she was having fun, you were certain that she was and that she wasn't scared without you. It was such an exciting thing to go get her the next day, and see that indeed, and much like you, she'd done great at her night away from home! As well as that, we've already gotten in one beach day and two parades! Much like your mama, you love parades and are excellent at waving and getting yourself some candy! At the beach you dug with friends, didn't hesitate to jump into the ocean, and had a great time enjoying the sun. It's shaping up to be a fantastic summer, baby girl!

This month you ask me constantly to "tell you a story." Your favourites seem to be when I tell you about the day you were born, and when your dad tells you about the day we brought home Sandwiches. You love asking the same questions over and over, and it seems like you're getting the workings of the world clarified in your mind. You too, love telling stories, and they all tend to involve both wolves and a little girl named Bowen. You love rocks and bringing huge rocks into the house seems to be a constant battle around here. I find them tucked into your bed and in your toy box. You love making your brother laugh, and will run around the house like a crazy person or make hillarious noises in order to do so. You make my world go round, little girl, and you make my life the best place to be. Thank you for making me smile every single day.

Happy fourty three months!

I love you forever,

-Your Mama