Happy Birthday Sweet Girl

Kyra,
I have been wanting to write this letter since your birthday but couldn't seem to find the words. This is why the letter is coming a bit late, I hope you'll forgive me for that.

My sweet girl, you are 4 years old now. A day you thought would never come. While you were ever so excited, I was a little sad. It feels to me, some days, that you are grown beyond your years and I just want you to slow down. You are so eager to move on to the next thing or the next stage that you get frustrated if you don't get the hang of things right away. While I love that drive and I know it's going to serve you well as you get older, remember baby girl, it's okay to make mistakes and to take time to practice. There are so many things to enjoy right now and I hope I'm doing a good job of showing you that.

You gave us a really hard time the weeks before Christmas, so much so that you had me in tears during quiet time and at the end of the day. It was a rough period for sure and you had me questioning myself. But; I'm so thankful for that time because we worked through it and managed to rub off some rough edges from each other. I can't help but be glad that we've worked through it now because maybe (and this could be wishful thinking) but maybe it will serve us in the long run and we won't have as many battles in the teenage years. It really has brought us closer together and as hard as it was being in it, I'm so thankful that we fought through it.

Right now baby girl, you are the same bundle of energy you've always been. You move from one task to the next with a speed that makes my head spin but I see breakthroughs now where you're able to sit and focus on one task for a period of time. The new task we're mastering right now is cutting with scissors. You received a wonderful book from Oma for Christmas that is specific to this task and you're loving it. You love to tell us about the new things you're learning in preschool and we've printed off all the planets and many artists along with their paintings to hang up in the playroom. I'm so thankful that we made the right decision in sending you to Wind & Tide because you have thrived. I love, love, love the hug I get from you when I pick you up at the end of the morning. The smile on your face when you see me waiting for you is heart warming and you can hardly contain yourself waiting for the teachers to dismiss you. It's bringing tears to my eyes right now just thinking of it.

You have an imagination that makes me laugh and that I marvel at. 

In this picture you decided to take a trip with your baby and many other various items you needed. Moments before this you were actually in my suitcase with all of this stuff and were headed off on some wild adventure.

The other day you gathered up random items from the house and had Jayce & I play Christmas with you:) It was so cute how excited you were to hand out our "gifts". 

We are still going through a rough period right now in regards to sleeping. You don't sleep through the night and we often hear "I don't like to sleep in my bed, alone". I do wonder to myself how long this phase will last and if there's something deeper going on that you can't articulate to us but to be honest, I love having you sleep with Daddy & I. You start out the night in your bed but end up in ours more often than not. I don't know what you're taking from this or what you'll remember but I'll remember this as a precious time with you. I'll remember the weight of you in my arms as I carry you and the comfort I feel as I watch you snuggle down in between us. I'll remember the sweetest conversations you've had with Daddy before he leaves for work and the hugs/kisses you insist on giving him.

Kyra, you are my heart. You make me want to be a better person and you have helped to fuel my desire to savour these years with you. I love you,

Mommy