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.

My growing boy,

We bought you some new pants for school not quite a month ago. They were a bit long, definitely a bit big around (you’re a skinny one!), and I said to you, “These will be great for you for the school year!” Each pair that you’ve put on in the last week is rising just to and sometimes a tiny bit above your ankle. Now, we may have bought cheap pants that are shrinking – it’s certainly possible – but, I think you’ve actually just shot up.

I’ll admit, too, that you’ve been pushing me and my patience an awful lot lately. Your teachers say you are an amazingly polite little gentleman, that you are such a great friend and that you are a pleasure to have around. Your dad and I could not be prouder, and often we do see that at home. You can be amazingly sweet with us and with your sister. You love to be a big helper in our house and our family, and you are creative, imaginative and joy-filled. You also use home and me in particular as a place to see how far you can push – completely normal four-year-old behavior. Truly, I know that and I understand. You aren’t bad or naughty or anything like that at all, but you do try to see how much you can get away with. I should take it as a compliment – that you feel so comfortable and free in our home and with your family that you can let your guard down. You don’t have to be buttoned up, proper, charming, and the like. At home you can test out all the different aspects of the person you are so quickly becoming.

When you sleep, dear boy, you sleep so hard. You make every single one of those dreaming moments count. I hope that your dreams see you soaring and wondering and adventuring.

So, so much,
Mama

My dear, little girl,

I swear, you learn about ten new words every single day. You are trying so hard to communicate all of the world that you’re discovering, and you’re doing amazingly. You are persistent and innovative and creative. There are absolutely times when we don’t quite understand what you’re trying to get at, and you repeat over and over, getting louder and louder until we finally figure it out.

We’ve been going to an Early Childhood Family Education class this fall, you, your brother and me. Part of the class involves me going off to a parent education time, and you kiddos staying with your teachers, playing and learning. The separation is the big part. For the first few weeks, you were really hesitant. You cried after me and clung to your nuk and your brother. But now, just a couple of weeks later, you seek out my hug and kiss goodbye and kick me out with a, “Bye, Mama, bye!”

You’re gaining such knowledge, ability, independence – your world is quite literally exploding in these enormous and exponential leaps and bounds. Through it all you’ve remained this quirky, happy, excited-about-life little one with a spirit and a spark that I hope isn’t ever ever put out.

So, so much,
Mama

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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 2019 and 2020 weddings and portrait sessions on an ongoing basis. Serving Minneapolis, St. Paul and the greater metro area, she is also available for travel nationwide.