Month 36
Dear Desi,
Happy 3rd Birthday!!! (cue fireworks explosions here!) I first have to apologize for this letter being unforgivably late. You turned 3 last Monday and I should have written your letter then. But I was sick. I was so sick I was scared I wouldn't be able to throw the party I've been planning for you. I even had to take a short nap while your guests were still here. And you know I hate to miss a second of our children's parties. But despite my fever and tonsillitis, your party was a blast, you got the gift you've been asking for and more, and everyone was happy to celebrate your three years of life. It took me this long to write this letter because it was only yesterday that I felt well enough to get out of bed. I'm really sorry it's late. But now here it is. Happy Birthday my Desi-Wesi!
Since my last letter, you've grown more and more into yourself. At my PTC with Teacher Des, she told me that during the second sem, they finally saw the Desi at home I kept telling her about. Talkative, funny, friendly, assertive in her own way and a bit of a joker. You had new classmates join your class during the second half of the school year and you love all your classmates. They were the ones that came over to our house for your birthday. Before, when I would fetch you from school, and I would ask about your day, you would say the exact same things, regardless of my question. If I asked, you, What did you do in school? You would say, "Play with Cassie." If I asked, Did you have fun in school? you would still say "Play with Cassie." Now, you would really tell me all sorts of stories about Isabella, Martine and Rafael, about the stories Teacher Des read to you, the games you played, the projects you did. You have no idea how awesome it is to actually hear you tell stories of your day. I hope you tell me stories everyday for the rest of our lives.
It's also super fun when you lead the bedtime prayers. There was a time when you would act sullen or would distract yourself when it came time for bed time prayers. There were even a few nights, when you were really moody and it was your turn to lead the prayer but didn't want to pray, and you would cry if we made you. Until I finally made you choose. Either you pray or you stand in the corner. And you stood up and walked to the corner and waited there until we finished praying. Fortunately, this rarely happens anymore. And when you did pray, you used to only pray the same thing every night. "Dear Jesus, Thank you for my milk!" Now it's a different prayer every day, based on whatever you did during the day. "Dear Jesus, Thank you that I went to school and Teacher Des and played hide and seek. Amen!" or "Dear Jesus, Thank you I sang Baby baby and my kite and went to the park. Amen!" And then, after everyone in the family has had their turn to pray, you would turn to Ramon and say, "What about your prayer, Ramo-mo?" And you would volunteer to say Ramon's prayer for him. "Dear Jesus, Thank you for my toys!" or You would say with a high-pitched squeaky voice, which I imagine is how you think Ramon would speak if he could talk. I hope someday you will teach Ramon to pray for himself when he knows already how to talk.
Speaking of Ramon, you went through a phase since our last letter. You got very very upset when Ramon played with any of your or Ate's toys, even if Lia would give her toys to Ramon to play with, you would snatch it back and yell "NOOOO! Not for babies!" It was also around this time that you were always scared or angry at Luis. You used to cry just at the sight of him, and he would be confused at why his Ate was crying at him when he didn't do anything to you. Eventually, you got over this phase. If you didn't want Ramon to borrow your toys, I taught you to find some other toy for him to play with. And with Luis, you just had to learn that if you can't play nicely with him, then you have to play alone. Now you are (mostly) friends. I can tell that you are doing your best to be patient and to share, and of course when Luis grabs something you are playing with, I understand why that would make you upset. However, just knowing that you're trying to play nicely with him makes me proud.
You actually have quite a stubborn streak in you, underneath your easy-go-lucky laid back ways. Like sometimes you get moody. And you cry and if we ask you why you are crying, you just say that you are in a bad mood. So I take you to a part of the house where you can be alone and I tell you you can cry here and when you're finished, to just tell me. And you do. You sit there by yourself until you're ready to play or do whatever it is you're supposed to do. I generally don't mind when you get moody because this happens so seldom. You're usually always just playing and laughing and joking around. You are quite the joker. You are a funny girl with a wicked sense of humor.
Like sometimes you like to dress up in costumes for no reason. You just randomly decide you want to wear butterfly wings to school or princess outfit here at home. I love when you do that because I like dressing up for the sake of it too. After you're Ate's last birthday I asked you, what do you want for your birthday and you said, "I want a cootay!" A what? A cootay? And you said, "No Mommy, not cootay. Cootay!" I had no idea whatsoever what cootay meant. Cookies? Cooking toys? Cuckoo clock? No, no no, Mommy, cootay! You said, "A blue cootay!" I gave up. The next day, I asked you again, and you carefully said, "Scootay!" Aha! I got it! Scooter! And you said, "Yes, Mommy, cootay!" So of course since then I would tease you about it. Desi, say Scooter. "Cootay!" You would say. Desi, say Water. "Watey!" You said. Then I'd say, say, Ruler. You'd say "Luley." Say Teacher. And then you'd look at me with a wicked smile and say "COOOOTAY!!!" Needless to say I took you to the store to pick out your birthday scooter and of course it was blue. You loved it so much I had to drag you from the store all the way to the parking lot while you stood on your cootay, segway style. And that's Segway, Desi. Not Segwer.
You also have some special games you play with your Daddy. You like to go to Daddy when you want to climb him. And he holds your hand while you walk up his legs and tummy and you can almost reach the ceiling. He lifts you around like an airplane, you ride his back like a horse, and you guys like to lay No Daddy where he tries to kiss you but you push him away, even if you like it when Daddy kisses you. I'm not really sure what he's trying to teach by playing this game. And for a while, you guys liked to play Eat your Feet, where Daddy will try to eat your feet and you would run away. Then when Daddy saw you tried to play Eat your Feet with Ramon, it made him feel really proud.
Desi, you are lovely and sweet and funny and fun. I love you to itty bitty bits and pieces! There isn't a day that goes by that you don't make me smile and laugh and be filled with joy just because you looked at me, or smiled or hugged or gave me one of your spontaneous Many Many Kisses for Mommy! I looooove you so much, it's hard to describe. You are so smart and so beautiful, I know you will grow up into a gorgeous and intelligent woman someday. I am raring to see how you get there, and help you along the way. My baby is turning into a big girl whether I like it or not. We switched you to panties right after you birthday party last Monday and you're potty training is going really really well. If I had known you would be this easy, I'd have started ages ago. Thank you so much for being my Desi-wesi, my Darling girl.
I love you forever.
Love, Mommy