Letter To My Four-Year-Old

Dear Avery,
Our lives have been so very busy lately, and I have been totally putting off writing this letter to you because I really wanted it to be good. Now I'm ready.

This year you started preschool two days a week. What a huge learning experience that was for you! You loved it, all of it! You sat down and tried whatever was for snack. You immersed yourself in the activities you got to choose from each day. You made beautiful artwork in the art room. You talked a lot about different friends. You would often kiss your teacher's hand, and you gave her a nickname. She was so good for you, because she helped you to be comfortable. She couldn't believe the growth you made this year. Remember when you didn't want mommy to leave? About February I was able to say goodbye, kiss you, and walk out of the room and you were just fine! I was so proud of you!

As a four year old you try new foods all the time. Sometimes when we take sister to school you and mommy go out for a special lunch. We've had both Thai and Sushi and you tried it all, even enjoying the spicy Thai dish mommy ordered for us. (The crab in the sushi made you get a very funny look on your face!) You love helping in the kitchen and are great at setting the table with place mats and napkins. You also love having your own little pitcher of water and pouring it into an egg cup to sip out of. You are a total snacker, preferring brief meals to larger ones. You love dried mango, chili, jerky, hamburgers, and lots of cheese. NO worries with you on the protein front! You love drinking water, and are zealous about hydration, to the point that we still need the occasional pull up at night. You're a lover of candy and marshmallows but could take or leave most other sweets.
Sometimes you tell me you don't want to grow up, that you want to stay home with me and daddy forever. You are afraid of dogs to the point that when one comes near you are completely paralyzed with fear. The ocean also frightens you and you don't like walking close to it.

You have been known to sit down with a piece of paper and ask me how to spell words so you can write them. You got a CD player for your birthday and now you, like sister, can listen to things like our Music Together CDs or the CD that came with your Nursery Rhyme book. You like singing, too, and it's so sweet to hear you singing softly to yourself when you are alone. I especially love your rendition of a certain Kidz Bop song with the lyrics, "I'm slippin' into the la-va and I'm tryin' to keep from goin' under....Temperature's burnin' hotta, cuz I'm burnin' up, burnin' up for you baby." You love dancing, give it a beautiful flair with pursed lips and delicate hands while listening to "Meghann's music." You are an amazing artist. Your drawings blow me away.

You change your clothes at least three times every day. You prefer to sleep with minimal clothing. You ask me often if you can "Watch something," requesting Olivia or My Friend Rabbit. When the Smurfs is on you and Julia always watch the beginning and point to different moments that you think would be coloring sheets you'd want to color. When we have movie night you have been known to get choked up during sentimental moments. Today we were driving home from somewhere and you were sitting in the back seat, calmly lost in thought, listening to the music. There are so many sides of you, there is that side, but there is also hyper silly Avery who can't calm down.
Your sister taught you, "May I Have Your Attention, Please," and you say it and get her attention every time. You LOVE your sister and play really well together. These days it seems you orchestrate as much as she does. You love wearing each other's clothes and jumping on the bed. When there is a problem between you your fiery emotions cause surprising eruptions of violence.

You have your own library card and trips to the library with you are so special. You usually check out four books and then a bonus book, and like to carry them out with your receipt thank you very much. You still enjoy reading to yourself at night in your room. You have the cutest little voice and when you tell stories to yourself you use so much expression. When you tell me things I find myself inwardly chuckling at both what you are saying but also how you are saying it.

You were born amazing but you are becoming more amazing each and every day. I am looking forward to what the next year holds for us together. Aves, my Bub, my Averita: I love you so much!