Maddie: 49 Months

Dear Punky Boo,

So you are now officially four years and one month. You are full of personality, spunk, energy, love and creativity. You are kind, generous, conscientious, inquisitive and persistent. Each day you remind us a little of ourselves, some Daddy, some Mama, but usually we are just impressed with how unique and wonderfully made you are.

It is with joy that we watch you grow and mature into a little girl. You are so grown up! One morning you took it upon yourself to get breakfast for Sam. After staying in bed a few extra minutes I came downstairs to find you had taken all the necessary steps to make a bowl of cereal, from obtaining the bowl and spoon to retrieving the cereal (from a high cupboard) and milk (from the top shelf in the fridge). You then proceeded to pour both cereal and milk into the bowl without spilling. Amazing.

You are quite the little Mama. Just this week I was upstairs engaged in housework when I asked you to run and check on Sam and come back with a report. You returned in a few minutes, breathless from running up the stairs, and remarked that you had found him outside, where he was turning on the BBQ. "So I put him in a ten-minute time out," you said to me, and then turned and yelled down the stairs to Sam, "and if you move from that spot I'll make it seven minutes more!!" Hmm. Wonder where you got that?!

Your imagination is wild and endlessly creative. You enjoy playing princesses and babies, building castles and cakes, dressing up and having tea parties. Though you constantly create and make believe, you are also fact-checking which things are true and which are pretend. Such as when we met Cinderella at Kate's birthday party: "She's not actually Cinderella, Mama. She is a nice lady who dresses up and makes little girls happy."

Last week you took your first communion with Daddy in "big church." Since that day you've been playing Last Supper with your little brother. One morning this week we could hardly contain our laughter when we heard you say with intent, "This is Christ's body, Sam, broken for you; now EAT IT!!!!" Poor guy didn't know what was coming when that "bread" was pushed with ferocious intensity in his face.

It is so fun to take you to the playground because you are so strong, capable and brave. You love to try new things and will practice until you've mastered it, calling me over to see your "cool new trick." You love to swing and hang from bars, run all around, climb up high, and especially to make friends. I hardly see you at the park anymore because your first objective is to make a buddy, spending the rest of your time chasing, playing and enjoying each other.

It seems as though you never stop going, other than your mandatory rest time and when you sleep at night. You nap only a few days a week now, frequently forgoing sleep for quiet (or not so) playtime for an hour or so. One day this month you insisted that you weren't tired and shouldn't take a nap. I insisted you stay in your room and quietly play in order that I might get a rest. When I came back to take you downstairs to play, I found my tuckered out princess asleep in her chair, crown and fancy shoes still in their places.

You love to create. It seems like we pull out the art jar at least once every day. Last week you made books for your friends with pictures, letters, and complicated plots (verbal, that is). You made Sam a clown costume out of paper, colored paper plates, pom poms and tape. Your drawings are growing more and more complicated and colorful with delightful details like butterflies, flowers, sun, rain, and clouds. I can hardly decide which masterpieces to keep and which to recycle. All I know is that our gallery grows each day!

You are such a delight, sometimes frustrating, but most of the time absolutely lovable. I still am amazed that I get to be your Mama and to witness all the mystery and joy and creativity that is my Maddie girl. Love you so much, sweet thing. So glad you're my valentine.

Love,

Mama