Happy Birthday Little One!

Dear Marisa,

You keep me quite busy these days and watchful of your exploring nature. You are eager to learn about anything you can get your hands on. This may include my make- up, bathroom items, grocery items, dvd's and your recent favorite--the pantry. You love washing your hands frequently and you are still in love with shoes only now you take them off immediately when you get into the car and in the stroller, or park, or anywhere. This always adds an extra step to our arrival anywhere and is not very conducive to this winter weather. I am utterly grateful for converse high tops which you can also remove within seconds but at least they stay on when we're out somewhere.

Your vocabulary is growing by the day and you use a few sentences now and then. You often speak with an intensity to your voice as if to say "hey I'm saying words now!" You have surprised me with the "I do it!" phase and are persistent in doing what you know you can do yourself. I usually here a very intense "I do!" "I do!" Which reminds me, you have successfully used the potty twice and I love to hear you announce, "I do pee pee, I do pee pee."

I love your considerate nature and love to see how aware you are of other's feelings. I can sense your empathy when you see another child upset or how if you upset Elena you come to hug her and give her a kiss to make her feel better.

I think you are finally down to 1 nap although I can sometimes squeeze in two once a week which you usually need and you like to nap around 11am.

You love to dance and will usually break out in a dance the moment you hear music come on. You are very aware and observant of your surroundings and quick to tell me when something is not right. The other day you made me follow you into the living room from the bedroom to point out that I forgot to close the front door all the way. Another funny instance was when we went shopping for the Christmas tree. It was just you and I when we got it. As we headed to the parking lot with the tree in the shopping cart I picked you up out of the cart to put you into your carseat when you (with your usual intensity) brought to my attention that the cart was rolling away with the tree!! Awareness is not my strength and I can see we already make a great team! I love your laughter when you wrestle with Elena and when you are tickled and I love your smile with the one dimple we passed on. My little one keep learning and reminding me how great it is.

Cold weather pics

Well no significant snow afterall but at least we got to bundle up and I even wore my down coat which I am glad I didn't sell on e-bay afterall. Wondering why we're playing at the park in the cold? Well, turns out Boston taught us how to truly stay warm in winter--layers, more layers and accesories make all the difference.
Day of flurries
Tree lighting at the State Capitol

Elena is four!

Cupcakes at school


Dear Elena,
I can't believe you're four! I know, I know, I say this every time, but every year I can't help but wonder where my baby went. I have to say the 3's were trying and much different than your 2's. A lot of your learning and need for independence happened this past year so it's not a surprise that it would be hard. But now you're four and I'm looking forward to seeing your personality blossom more and more. These days you talk---A LOT---about everything! There's hardly a break for silence when you're around and you're determined to let us know everything you're learning and discovering every minute. You use mostly English now and I love hearing your little accent with certain words. You are still cheery and bubbly and more often than not bring smiles to our faces. You can't help but make Daddy and I laugh with your silly sayings and comments. Marisa adores you and the moment we pull up to the front of your school she starts estatically saying, "Lena, Lena" Some of the things you enjoy are playing with play-doh, playing on the see-saw, drawing on your Magna Doodle, anything pretend, singing and making up your own songs with familiar tunes but different words, listening to stories, actually watching the entire length of a movie, wrestling with Marisa and making her laugh even when it's serious time.

Let see, some milestones--You are using complex sentence structures in Spanish and English. You continue to nap (thankfully for me) 2 hours a day. You tend to stay dry most nights and I think I won't be buying anymore pull-ups. You're not quite as cautious as you use to be which means you climb more and fall more but you rarely cry. Today at your 4 year check up we learned you are still in the 50th percentile for weight and height just what you'd expect from a tall father and short mama. Elena, I really enjoy your joy for life and the way you light up a room. My sweet baby girl thank you for reminding me to laugh, smile and enjoy life.




Homemade car


drawing of herself with a red balloon

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