Dear Charlotte,

I’ve been writing all these monthly letters to your baby brother in his first year, just as I did for you, but it has not escaped me that you are 3 1/2 today. I’ll be interested to hear what you think of these letters one day. After your first year, I have written to you on your birthdays and half birthdays. Maybe I’ll bind them all in a book, a book for you and a book for Henry with his letters.

I feel like we just celebrated your third birthday and waited patiently for Henry to arrive four days later. That was six months ago. You’ve been our spirited 3-year-old, the light in our house and the energy in our lives. We thrive on your enthusiasm.

Charlotte, you have embraced change in these six months. You became a big sister and we became a family of four. You left your daycare to go to part-time preschool. You started gymnastics. You spend more time with me each day and it is amazing!

Some of my favorite things about you continue. You love to learn and read books. Your vivid imagination means you have a tale of your “Imagination Friends” everyday. Tiki, Choo Choo and Maddie fill your mind with endless adventures that help you make sense of your world. You have been really excited about science and geography lately. You will say, “Mama, let’s talk about the sun and the earth!” We got books about the planets from the library for you. You built a garden with Daddy and you always want to check your plants. You are forcing me to brush up on my Spanish as you ask what many words are in Spanish and I honestly do not remember. Mamá no te da vergüenza! (I must confess to you I used an online translator for that one.)

Princesses are still your favorite thing. We watch you in different princess dress-up clothes each day. You can recite “Frozen” word for word and song for song. You want us to act out each scene with you. Princesses are so real for you. They are your heroes and friends. I don’t want to tell you that they are fairy tales. I so badly want the stories to be real for you.

Charlotte you look so grown-up now. Gone is the toddler physique. In its place is a slender, small little girl with bouncing long curls and bright blue eyes. Your skin is so fair and ivory. You get frustrated when I brush your hair and slather on sunscreen, but if I tell you it makes you pretty like a princess, you’re okay with it. I chuckle and shake my head when I have to tell you that. I didn’t mean for you to be a girly-girl like me, but there is no denying it, you are.

You have embraced your role as big sister. I love seeing your developing relationship with your brother. He watches everything you do, Charlotte. You like to make him giggle. You are proud to show him off to your friends. I have to warn you that he will one day be bigger and stronger than you , so you may want to stop taking every toy he wants to hold.

You have had your difficult 3-year-old moments. You told your first lie recently. You have learned about lying and disobeying. You don’t want to be bad, but you are testing your limits, no doubt. Forgive me when I’m not always as patient and kind as I should be. You are only 3 and I forget that sometimes.

You are growing strong and becoming a remarkable little person. It is the honor of my life to raise you and Henry with Daddy. I love being your Mama. I love you, my darling, darling girl.

Love,

Mama