Dear Lucy,
Today you are 47 months old. We've had a fun, busy month!
We started this month by going to Camp Prime Time. It's a cool camp just for kids with special needs and their families. We went with a bunch of other families with autistic kids, like Ruby and we had a BLAST.
You and Ruby brought your own balls and spent a lot of time practicing your dribble and kicking.
You spent as much time as possible (when it wasn't raining) on the playground.
It rained a lot so we also played in the game room. You both LOVED air hockey. I see a trip to the arcade in our future.
We went on a (cold and wet) boat ride, but you still had a great time.
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Especially because you got to help drive the boat, TWICE!
You sure do love doing things with Ruby. You two are truly BFF right now.
We also went on some hikes
And stopped to take some amazing pictures.
When we got home we all went out to dinner for Father's day. It was a complete disaster, as you guys were all tired, and I forgot Ruby's special cheese, so we got our food to go, and came home and ate it while watching a movie, and EVERYONE was happy. (and then we went to bed)
We went cherry picking! You are still learning to eat the cherry and not the pit, so you kept giving one of the grownups a half eaten cherry. When we got home you learned how to use the pitter and then you ate so many cherries your tummy hurt.
Ruby turned 10 and we had a fun Zootopia themed party. You love her so very much, even when she's driving you crazy, you still end up hugging at the end of the day.
You decided that it was time to start climbing trees. So far it's just the small tree in front of our house but I have no doubt that you've got your eye on bigger ones. It's ok, I have good insurance, climb away!
You are still sleeping in the small bed next to mama's bed, which means by 3 am most mornings you are sleeping on my pillow. I know someday you will be a big kid in your own bed in your own room and I will miss your hard head smashing into mine at 3 am, but... maybe not. You love your mama so very much, and sometimes you say the funniest things to me. One day you said "OH MY GOD, MAMA! YOU ARE SO CUTE!!" I laughed and laughed. You often say "OMIGOD" when something happens or your are trying to get your point across. It's absolutely perfect. You also say "HOLY COW!" when things surprise you.
Not too long ago, I was in a (minor, yet totaled the car) accident. When I brought the sad smashed car home, you decided that you were going to fix it.
You got out your tool box, and went straight to work.
Unfortunately it was beyond repair, but thanks for trying, my love.
We went on a 4 day long camping trip with Nana and Grandpa and Grandma. You kids had a BLAST
You had a craft station where you colored and made messes, and you went for many bike rides around camp. After a few trips around the loop with a grown up you decided that you wanted to go without a grown up. I took a deep breath and agreed that you could try it... and you were SO PROUD, to make it all the way around all by yourself. You did it over and over again, eventually getting Ruby to go with you, and then going around the BIG camp loop all by yourselves. All the other kids in camp were doing it (but most of them were probably 7-10, not THREE) and you are pretty sure that if other kids can do it, you can too. You are pretty amazing (and a little frightening).
One day we went on a big hike to Silver Falls.
You hitched a ride on daddy for part of it, as it was probably a long walk for a 3 year old.
You and Ruby (wearing matching outfits, naturally) lead the way to the waterfalls.
Once we were behind the falls, it was hard to get you to stand still for a picture, you were all so excited!
But somehow we even managed a whole family photo.
One of your new favorite things it to say "lets talk into each other's ears!" and then you whisper something completely unintelligible into my ear and then I say something like "You have smelly feet" and we both laugh and laugh. Almost 4 can be pretty fun.
One day on our camping trip you chose to wear a skirt. It is one of maybe 3 times in your life you have chosen a dress or a skirt and it's kind of bizarre. You wore it biking ( it also has short underneath, so it's not a true skirt) and hiking with Grandpa and at the end of the day I asked if you liked it and would wear it all the time and you said "I don't know, it's not really me." OH LUCY.
Packing up and coming home from camping was exhausting and everyone was tired and dirty. But, 30 minutes after we got home you said "when can we go camping again?" and my heart exploded. That's my girl!
For the 4th of July, we went out into the middle of the Hawthorne Bridge to watch the fireworks. You thought it was cool for about 5 minutes then you declared it was "too loud" and you were clearly frightened, so we packed up and walked back to the van. As we walked off the bridge we could see the display and you liked it much more from a distance.
You also liked walking back with your big sister that you love so very much.
You are doing a weekly summer camp at your preschool, Runabouts. Your friend Cormac is coming too. You two are pretty excited to see each other at camp, and even though you spend a lot of time together each week, you find fun things to do at camp.
Like dig in the sand pit.
You made a new friend, Paz, and this picture is the two of you laughing about who's spaghetti it is.
Your cousin Amelia (chameleon) came to visit and (she hid from the camera) we had an indoor campout and movie night.
The play house is back in full time action, you and Ruby and Cormac like to pick things from the garden (and the weeds too) and put out elaborate spreads of 'food' and have birthday parties. Sometimes you will play up there for the longest time needing nothing but refill on the tea pot. (and then later a grown up has to go in and clean up all the water)
We had an epic trip to the Zoo with Grandma and Catherine and Cormac and Flannery.
You insisted that we go on the carousel, even though you seem to be the only one who really loves it.
Despite what this picture says, you all had a really great time, and saw many new animals and ran around and learned a few new things.
You also cheesed for the camera as often as you could.
You love your grandma so very much (as she loves you). She was here for several weeks and you got to go on a few special dates with her.
It's amazing how much you both have grown and changed in the 2 years since the first picture was taken! and of course, Mabel wasn't even born then!
Isaiah is busy with school this summer, so you are spending your days (while I work) with either Brittany or Deb. One day Brit to you and Ruby bowling, and Isaiah came too! You were so very happy to hang out with your buddy.
We took a trip to Jamison square, where you and Ruby played in the fountain with Augie.
Of course you have matching swim suits, OF COURSE. Just in case you look back on this and are horrified at all the matching stuff, just know... YOU LOVE IT AND YOU INSIST ON IT. (It also makes it easy to find you both in a crowd)
We also went to our first concert in the park of the summer tonight. We met up with many friends and had a picnic (burgerville, I didn't have time to pack anything fancy) and danced and played frisbee (you learned so quickly!) and ate shave ice. It was a pretty stellar evening.
When you are mad, you are MAD and I am not allowed to look at you or even talk to you (sometimes this happens when you do something embarrassing or you fall and I ask if you are ok, then you get MAD and tell me "don't even LOOK at me!") but it never lasts too long. Sometimes when you are sad about something, instead of telling me what you are really sad about, you make up some story to avoid talking about the real thing that's hurting you. That's ok, because I usually know what it is, and I'm gonna help you through it however you need.
You may have BIG emotions of mad and sad, but you also give BIG love and HUGE hugs. One night you hugged me so tight at bedtime and kept whispering "I love you SO MUCH, mama. SO SO MUCH" I thought I might explode right there on the spot, but your hug kept me in one piece.
Another thing that comes with these BIG ALMOST FOUR emotions is nightly melt downs. Usually before dinner, or bedtime you just fall apart over the most minuscule things. Some times you just need to cry and be held and rocked like a baby, which is the opposite of what you want all day, you want to be big and strong and a BIG KID, I just think that at the end of the day you need to get your pacifier and snuggle and have someone snuggle you up until you feel small and tiny and comforted. Becoming a big kid is tough work.
Sweet Lucy, You are such a great kid. Your smile can launch a thousand ships, and your enthusiasm is contagious. You are truly living your best life every day, even though you desperately need a haircut (that you DO NOT WANT) and you look like MacGyver, I think you are the sweetest and cutest and funniest kid.
I love you, with my whole heart, Mama