love letters

Dear Em,

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You'll never know, dear, how much I love you."

We didn't purchase a whole lot of artwork for your new room. We had so much from your nursery that we were able to blend into your garden room nicely. Of the new artwork, the prints hanging above your bed are my favorite. I found Paper Ramma on Etsy & fell in love with their work. Everything they do is customizable. They actually offered to match the colors of the prints exactly with your new bedding. How cool is that?! All of their work is so sweet. I also wicked love this one & this one.

We chose these prints because, well, you are our sunshine. At the age of two & a half (& one & a half months), you are sunshiney & you are love. Your favorite color is pink, but I think of you anytime I see yellow. You truly shine with giggles & smiles & love. I can't help but feel sunny when we're together. You put your cute little arms around us & give us the sweetest kisses.

You're a passionate little girl. You either distinctly like something or emphatically dislike it. There's not a whole lot of in between with you.

In the past six months, you've hit so many milestones. You said goodbye to your high hair & now eat at the the table with us. "So, how was your day, Daddy," is how you often start the dinnertime conversation. The list of foods that you'll eat has grown over the past six months, as has your willingness to try new foods. The promise of dessert is a strong force when it comes to encouraging you to eat the different foods on your plate. Your daddy & I struggle not to laugh as we watch you with your hands over your mouth, forcing yourself to swallow whatever food you don't particularly care for so you can have your dessert after.

You went from diapers to undies in the last six months. We were worried if you were ready when we started potty-training, but you proved your daddy & I wrong once again. Accidents are few & far between. You excitedly announce you have to go potty, quickly go into the bathroom, and firmly tell us you need your privacy. You still wear pull-ups for naps & bedtime, but you wake up dry more often than not.

One of the biggest transitions has been saying goodbye to your crib & sweet nursery & moving into your big-girl bed & big-girl room. I was worried you would miss your nursery or crib, but you said goodbye with an excited smile. You love your new room. The other day I found you sitting on your bed with one leg crossed over the other. You were surrounded by piles of books with your nose buried in the Boogie Monster.

Your nonnie gave you your first baby doll before you were one, and baby dolls have been your favorite  ever since. Now you have tons & you're such a sweet mommy to your babies (when you're not putting them in timeout). It's so fun to watch you rock them & feed them. Your very favorite is still your lamby though. You sleep with her every night & wake up crying if you can't find her in the middle of the night. You sing to her & dance with her & fix her hair while I fix your hair each day.

You're sooooo stubborn. I may have been told a few hundred times how much your stubbornness reminds my family of another stubborn little girl...me. You have an opinion on most things, & you want your opinion to be heard. Every day I see glimpses of the strong, independent woman I know that you'll grow to be.

Right now you're a bright learning sponge. You tackle learning new things with excitement & squeal with delight when you're able to do something new. You've been working on writing your name. Letters are fascinating to you. You're constantly reading off letters & then asking, "Mom, what does that spell?" You like when I trace letters on your back, & you correctly guess when I've spelled Emma, Mommy, Daddy, & Nonnie.

You remind me often that you are my "little love bug," & what a little love you are. You have such a sweet & empathetic heart. You can't be happy unless those around you are. If the child sitting next to you is crying, you are also crying until the child is soothed.

Grace & gentility is not a strong suit for you. You kind of boom into everything you do, & you're constantly booming into walls & doors & onto the floor. You know to be "kind & gentle" to others, but we're not sure you understand what being gentle means. Your kindness is very hands on & sometimes a little rough. You've almost broken our noses a few times with your excited hugs & kisses.

Your laugh is infectious & adorable. You are such a happy, little girl. You make us smile everyday & bring such joy to our hearts.

Tomorrow morning you're leaving to stay with Nonnie & Papi for three whole weeks (two without us, we'll be joining you the last week). I'm so excited for you to have that time to spend with my family, but it's also the longest time you've ever been away from your daddy & I. My heart already aches thinking about how much I will be missing you, our little sunshine. There will be lots & lots of skyping to help us get through it. Plus, we know you'll be having a blast. Then Daddy & I will join you in North Carolina for some last summer beach days Labor Day week.

I'm so excited about all the adventures your going to have down south. I can't wait to talk to you about all of them, but I'll miss tucking you in to your big-girl bed in your big-girl room for the next three weeks.

I love you so,
Mommy

* This is part of a five post room reveal. For more peaks into the room, see also Big Girl Garden Room Reveal: The Bed, Big Girl Garden Room Reveal: Dressing Up, Big Girl Garden Room Reveal: Your Book Nook, & Big Girl Garden Room Reveal: Star Gazing. *