It’s another installment of what will hopefully be many monthly letters written to our children. It’s a part of a memory-keeping attempt to capture these glimpses into the everyday and the not so ordinary moments that pass by so quickly as children grow. This is an ongoing series.

Amazing boy –

I spoke too soon. I said I thought you were on your way out of the crazy emotional wackiness that is three (or often lovingly referred to as the threenager), but I think we just had a good month. This stage is tricky for me – I’ll be the first to admit it. I also think that the parts of you that are so similar to the parts of me are starting to show up more and more, and that’s where we seem to butt heads the most often. But then there are the moments where we get along so well. Really, so well and it’s like we are the very best of friends, joking around, seeing each other in the other, it’s really incredible.

You are flourishing with preschool, and we’ve got you signed up for three days of school a week next year, and I think you’re going to completely win that. You’re starting to write all over the place, and you recognize letters everywhere. You love sounding out words and trying to figure out what signs say as we’re driving around. You’re really going to be reading before we know it. You have also been a lot more into crafting – painting, beads, coloring, activity books, etc. lately than you ever have before.

You’re also dang wiggly, little one! We sit down to play cards or pigs and it’s all you can do to manage to stay in the general area of our playing. You watch your shows in all manner of upside down all over the couch, the floor the ottoman. And your shows – Pinkalicious, these days. And, my dear, do you love pink lately. On Fridays, you say, you want me to call you Pinkalicious. Generally, you’ve been preferring Gus these days.

So, so much,
Mama

Little darling,

You started walking this month! After quite a few months of being close, close, close but not quite, you finally went for it. With that, though, your independence has just skyrocketed. You attempt to dive out of our arms regularly, you chatter away at photos and stuffed animals, and you’ll go on and on prompted by a few, “and then what?” and “you’re kidding!”s.

You love to be near your brother, trying to do all of the things he does, and doing what you can to play with him. Sometimes he’ll go along with it, sometimes he does all he can to egg you on, and then other times, he’ll snatch things right back out of your hands, wanting them to be his. Your relationship is growing and developing, beautiful and amazing, and I do believe you’ll manage to be pretty good friends when it all comes down to it.

You had finally finally finally started to sleep better in the three or so nights before we headed out on a vacation to a new place, with new sleeping arrangements and in a new time zone. We’ve only been back a little while, so I’m not sure if we killed any progress we had made, but I’ve got to hold out at least a little bit of hope. You certainly do better when you’ve had a good amount of sleep. Instead of getting really cranky before you are about to crash, you often get completely wild. That’s the sign – are you acting like a complete maniac? Time for bed – ha!

It was such a joy for me to be able to see you and your brother completely reveling in some of the spaces that I grew up loving out in the Black Hills in South Dakota. There are so many places in this world that I can’t wait to show you, to have you love, and to learn to love with you.

So, so much,
Mama

Weddings | Families | Seniors | Personal

Book your session
Ask about your wedding date

Alison Bents is a Minnesota photographer specializing in Family and Senior portraits and Wedding Photography. She lives in Rosemount with her husband, two children and dog who have all put up with her lens pointing their way for a long, long time. Alison is now booking 2018 and 2019 weddings and portrait sessions on an ongoing basis. Serving Minneapolis, St. Paul and the greater metro area, she is also available for travel nationwide.