Letters to Reese- TWO and a HALF!

Reese,

I've sat down to write you this letter a handful of times and am lost for words because I feel like whatever I write here just won't do you justice.  This age is tough and wonderful all at the same time.  You are STRONG WILLED, SMART, SWEET, ADVENTUROUS, FUNNY, and KIND. You light up our lives and amaze us every day. 

You are thriving at school and are such a sponge for learning anything.  You are a whiz at putting puzzles together, you know your alphabet, can count to 20 (sometimes you get a little confused around 14/15), you know all of your colors, and most of your shapes.  You still cry almost every time at drop off for me a year later, but are  50/50 for daddy. You always stop crying as soon as we leave, but you make sure to make me feel guilty pulling out of the parking lot.  You are scheduled to start transition to the Preschool room next month (March 14') for a full transition in April.  We will be keeping you at MB through the summer, but then plan to move you to an actual Preschool in Sept (vs. a center).  You will start at FH in Sept and go M,W,F mornings 9-12.  I'm so excited for you and hope that you do okay with the change.  You seem to be a little uneasy with transition. 

You are the best big sister that I've ever seen and have never shown any sort of jealousy towards Adeline, ever.  You are always getting Adeline a toy, binky, blanket, etc. You now want to be the one who gets Adeline up from her naps, and actually tell me to stay downstairs so you can do it.  You then go into Adeline's room, turn the light on, and climb into her crib and snuggle with her. You'll even "read" her stories. You can make her laugh like no other, and the two of you already share an incredible bond.  I'm jealous (in a good way!) of you having a sister so close in age.  I hope and pray that you two will be the best of friends and always have each other's backs.  

You constantly want to help with everything from opening your curtains, turning off your sound machine, opening doors, putting your clothes in the hamper, making mommy's coffee or latte, pressing the buttons on the microwave, turning on/off all lights, loading/emptying the dishwasher, helping with laundry (filling the laundry detergent), sweeping, cleaning surfaces with a paper towel, cooking, etc.  You are a nightmare when it comes to getting dressed when you want to be.  Sometimes you are so easy, but whenever you don't want to get dressed you put up the biggest fight which typically ends with me sweating, swearing in my head, and sometimes even putting you in a time out in your crib.  Don't even get me started on putting your socks on. You are so damn stubborn that you want to do it (half the time you can't do it), and get pissed off and want to start all over again. UGHHHHH. You also can be tough getting in your car seat.  Everything has to be just so, or it throws you off.  You want to clip the chest buckle, you want to climb in, etc.  You are a RUNNER! You will out of nowhere just run away from me.  It's terrifying and annoying all the same.  We'll be leaving school and bam! You just run away in the parking lot.  So fresh.  I keep reminding myself that your strong will and determination will help you later in life.  You will be confident and assertive.  Your insides are all Mommy. ;-) (edited to add: I read this back to Daddy and got offended that I said that you are all mommy-- so let me clarify-- I was just like you as a toddler. I put up a fight with Nanny on most things, very similar to you.  From what Nonna has told me about Daddy as a toddler, he seemed to be much more "go with the flow").  Better, Todd? Ha!

You still can be very shy in social settings when you're not comfortable but seem to be getting better.  It's strange, most times you will smile and interact with strangers if I'm there with you and you feel safe, but in situations like big family gatherings, it's like pulling teeth to get you to say hello to my uncles, or go with anyone other than Daddy, Nanny/Grampy, Nonna/Papa, Auntie Jamie, Auntie Sarah, or Connor. It can make things difficult for me because I've got to deal with your sister, and I'd like for you to just go play, but you are stuck to me like glue.

We started you in dance lessons this past fall, ballet and tap, and at first you wouldn't even go into class. You gave me such a hard time and would just be in hysterics. It being a closed door class was foreign to you and I think that you were so afraid that I was going to leave you there, which I of course would NEVER do. After about the 4th class, you began going in and actually enjoying it.  There are still weeks that you need a little extra coaxing to get in, but you never come out until class is over.  We have a little tradition that after class you get a Ring Pop, and we go to Chipolte for dinner.  You get your favorite "rice and beans and chips and quesedilla and milk". Ha! You thrive on routine.

You are still taking swim lessons and are doing AWESOME.  You are by far the most advanced and skilled in your class.  You can swim without daddy (you still wear a bubble), but can go the length of the pool, jump in all by yourself, and just began going underwater (!!!!).  You are going to be so much fun to watch this summer in our pool.  At age 3 you can start lessons without a parent, so for you that will mean in September. 

One of your favorite traditions is going for "car rides" with daddy in the mornings to go get coffee.  You've been doing this since you were little (like a year old) and go in your pajamas and bring the iPad.  It's so cute that you now ask me, "Mommy, you want coffee? What you like?". Some other funny sayings that you say are "two ones" for two of them, "I go want it it" for I don't want it, and you pronounce your L's like Y's so I love you comes out like I Yove you. You also have a funny little accent where you say "they ah" for there. Ha! You also refer to a group of people as "guys" "what you like guys?".

You had your very first sleepover ever away from us at Nanny's house a couple of months ago.  You slept in the big bed with Nanny, and did pretty good.  You've gotten better each time that you've stayed over.  I'm so happy that you are able to spend this special one on one time with Nanny and Grampy.  I still have memories from my childhood of spending time at my grandparents and Aunt's house, and I hope that you cherish the time you spend with your grandparents. Hopefully soon your sister starts sleeping through the night so that she can either tag along with you for the sleepover, or at least Mommy and Daddy can enjoy their night without being woken up 4387374 times a night.

On February 18th (your 2.5 birthday) we started potty training you. I had been DREADING this, but you did awesome!  We hunkered down one weekend and put underwear on and never looked back.  We started by setting the timer on the microwave, and giving you fruit snacks when you went. By the end of the first day we didn't even need the timer, you just told us when you needed to go.  You used your little potty, but now prefer to go on the regular toilet.  You have no fear of using any public restroom, and do great when we are out.  I am so preoccupied/sleep deprived half the time that I sometimes even forget to show you where the potty is in a store/restaurant/etc. it's not until your little voice says, 'Mommy! I have to go pee!' do I remember that you are potty trained. You got it right away and never really had any pee accidents, only one that I can think of and that was at dance class.  Poop, however, is another story.  You are still hit or miss with going in the potty.  You are content with just pooping in your underwear and telling me right away that you need new underpanties. Ugh! We are trying to encourage you with positive reinforcement and give you rewards for pooping on the potty.  The other day your teacher text me that you actually went on the potty at school so I took you to the movies for the very first time and we saw Frozen.  You loved it! We went with Stella and her mommy. You now love to watch the Frozen songs on YouTube.

In some ways Reese, I think back to when I was pregnant with you and it seems like forever ago and I can't remember not having you in our lives.  Other times, I feel like I blinked, and you are 21.  You are such a big girl and it blows my mind that I can have conversations with you. You are the best girl, and Daddy and I love you SO much.  We are so lucky to have you.

Love you to the moon and back!

Love, 

Mommy  xoxox

Doing puzzles-- one of your favorite things to do!

This was when you were all dressed up to go see Santa!

Being silly with mommy-- with cookies in your teeth!

At dance class

Swim class with daddy

Sisters!

Your favorites are:

Favorite food: raviolis and fruit snacks

Favorite drink: milk

Favorite movie: Little Mermaid, Cinderella, and now Frozen

Favorite shows: Sofia the First, Doc McStuffins, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, and Little Einsteins

Favorite color: pink

Favorite clothes: luckily you don't show preference yet, and still let me pick your clothes.

Favorite shoes: Ugg boots and your pink Nike sneakers

Favorite toy: you love puzzles, and to paint, you love your cutting food, and your Little People princess castle

Favorite book: this changes daily but you've had Penny Loves Pink, the Sofia the First books, Brown Bear, and Snow in heavy rotation.

Day one of potty training-- love the leg warmers

Baking banana bread with mommy!

Waiting for daddy to come home from a business trip

At the movies for the first time with Stella-- going to see Frozen

Some stats:

- You sleep from about 7/7:30pm to 6:30/7am with a nap around 1-2:30pm.  
- You are 30lbs and 36" (you are tall and skinny! such a string bean)
- You wear size 2T or 3T and size 8 shoe.

- Your hair is still light brown and your eyes are blue/green (but looking more green everyday)