Saturday, February 18, 2017

SaLlY jEaNs 3 YeAr LeTteR


This little girl went from this... 
to this....in what seems like a matter of days.  


Oh Sally Jean, how I wish I could say every moment spent with you has been refreshing and pleasant...but I cannot tell a lie.  While you are entirely exhausting, moody, whiny, stubborn, hard headed, tough as nails, super independent, strong willed, too smart for your own good (and ours), sometimes disobedient- there is a lot of things about you that are great and fun.  And even some of these hard character traits that you exhibit now will be good for you one day, but when you are an irrational preschooler (add that to the list above) it is hard to navigate through each day and to see a light at the end of the tunnel.  But, even through all of this, I love you so.  
 You march to the beat of your own drum.  You are a free thinker.  You aren't going to let anyone dictate who you are.  You wanted to be Cinderella for Halloween. Not because Ava was, but because you love Cinderella and wanted to wear a blue princess dress.  I had a beautiful princess dress waiting for you, but it wasn't blue and it wasn't Cinderella and it just wasn't going to do.  So, off to the costume store we did go, and you went right up to the wall of costumes, found a blue Cinderella dress and that was that.  You are a girl who knows what you want.


 You got to go to Disney World again.  This time it was a lot harder with you.  On this trip, I learned first hand that you are a homebody and a stickler for a consistent schedule.  The element of surprise does not bode well with you.  You did have moments on this trip that truly captivated you, but there were also moments on this trip that catapulted my anger.  A control freak like your mother and as stubborn as a mule, like your name sake...this trip was unforgettable on many levels.  However,  I am itching to go again (maybe because I am a glutton for punishment or I am hopeful that you will be older and the next trip will be more enjoyable).

 Your love for tutus, dress up clothes, toys in general, and wearing shades and hats is unprecedented.  You sleep in your princess dresses that you put over your pajamas after we tuck you in bed.  It was amusing looking back at all your pictures over the past year and seeing the amount of princess dresses, hats, and sunglasses you wore.
 You are also what I affectionately call my little Miss Sassafras.  And I think this picture portrays that name for you perfectly.

 This year was the year of the glasses and patch for your diagnosis of strabismus.  You handled all the doctor appointments, the experiments with the eye glasses and the daily donning of your eye patches very well.  Unfortunately,  none of that was going to solve the problem, but it was necessary until surgery could be performed to keep the eye muscles from getting any weaker.
This was also the year you handed over your pacifier...willingly.  It was AMAZING!  Considering your very strong personality and your huge dislike of anything not going your way and your comfort with consistency, I thought this would be a huge struggle.  But, you did this all on your own.  One night you just handed us your pacy and said you didn't want it anymore.  We threw it away and that was all there was to that.  I was wishfully thinking that maybe you would be this easy when it came to potty training...the hysteria of that!  What was I thinking?
When Evie was real little, you liked to sit next to me and pretend to feed your babies.
 You would like to escape with my phone all the time and look at pictures.
Spending time with daddy is one of your favorite things.
 Playing outside a close 2nd favorite thing.
Hanging with your sister running in 3rd place.
 You are super goofy and will do such bizarre things.  You loved to fit yourself into the toy pack and play that we got you guys for your babies one Christmas.
You had precious little curls.

 You are your PopPops girl.  And your Mimi's.  They don't know what to do with you half the time and think you are wildly funny.

 Those little eyes going cross here make me smile.  While I am so thankful Dr. Saunders was able to correctly align them, there are days, I must admit that I miss that cross eyed look I would get from you.   I looked at that for a year and it grew on me.  I know it needed to be fixed and I am thankful we had the means, the insurance the right experienced doctor to do it.


 Every time I look at this face, even when you are throwing a temper tantrum or have yourself totally out of sorts because of who-knows-what, I look at that face and can't resist how simply adorable you really are.
 We went to Ohio this past summer because your great grandma (also your name sake, Sally Jean) passed away.  You got to eat popsicles and have a grand old time.





 Ava started swim lessons this year and you like to wear her swim cap.

 You went to Hunter's first birthday party and got to jump in your first bouncy house and you loved it.

 It snowed just days before I had Evie and this was a snow you really got to get into and enjoy.  I just thought you looked adorable in all your "snow gear".





Popsicles are something you enjoy having to eat.  I have heard that sometimes you get popsicles at Mimi and PopPops for breakfast.
 You went to visit the zoo last spring which we try to do yearly.

You look so happy here....
 Here you are eating ice cream at Mimi and PopPops.
 I had to include these because you were being super silly.


 Of course you are wearing a tiara...I mean...why not?

 Now it is Mickey Mouse Ears...its always something.



 This was at a doctors visit.  I think you were super psyched to be there.
You cut your finger almost to the bone with one of your dresser drawer pulls.  It was terrifying but you were such a trooper and we were so proud of you.
You hated the stitches because you were convinced they were spiders.  
 Tender moments like you falling asleep somewhere other than your bed are hard to come by.
 Visting Skytop Apple Orchard with Mimi and PopPop.

 What a diva you are!
A diva who doesn't mind a little chocolate on your face.
Oh My!


 I took this picture because it was rare.  You woke up with a smile on your face.
 Riding the airplane swing at Wise Acres Farm.

 We were waiting on the hay ride at Wise Acres.
 Playing in the corn pit at Wise Acres.
 Cheesin it up at Wise Acres.
 You use to love to bring books down to me to read.
 You love any dress you can twirl and dance in.

First day of preschool.  You actually missed the actual first day of preschool because you were sick.  I felt so bad for you.  But you got to go.  Your teachers were Ms. Maleah and Ms. Danielle.


 I remember doing this day outside in life November.  It was a beautiful day and you spent it next to the butterfly tree and catching bubbles.


 This was the day we got to get your stitches out of your finger.  You did a great job and were very curious about it.



Here we were at one of your many eye check ups.  You guys were so good at these very long appointments.

 I loved this outfit on you.

 You have become much more crafty and I am much less resistant to allow you to craft.  It is working out for the both of us.



 You had a great time hosting Sheldon at our house while his parents were in Israel.  He was a great companion for you.


 This was after your surgery on your eyes.  Before the surgery you were a hoot and so calm.  Afterwards, you were your normal self a bear.  You would fall asleep with your popsicle and it would be melting all over.  I would try and sneak it out of your grip.  You would immediately awake and want it back.  It was a constant cause of frustration for you and me and my white sweater (especially after they gave you a red one).  We decided to try and go for teddy grahams and you obliged.



 You love this little stuffed animal from your cousins, Ash and Syd.
 We were just being silly.
You and Ava worked together to make castles out of your magna tiles.
 You were dancer of the week at Miss Donna's.
 You insist on playing outside in these things.  You finally did bestow upon your little sister this Tinkerbell costume because you grew out of it like last year.

 And this is your new sleeping place.
You have been through a lot and are doing so many things this year.  Your vocabulary is brilliant (you do stutter a bit) but I think it is because you have constant things jumbling around in that very busy, very exhausting head of yours.  You are a whirl of emotions.  You can go from happy go lucky to the Tasmanian Devil in a matter of minutes.  You make live always full of....something.  Some days is pure laughter and joy,  some days its confusion, some days is total frustration, and all days it is utter exhaustion.  But, Miss Sally Jean, I wouldn't trade it or you, or any of your quirks or traits for anything else in all this world.  You were made for me.  God had such a sense of humor when He knitted you together, but you are perfectly and wonderfully made and I know that quite well!  Love you, my go getter, where-there-is-a-will-there-is-a- way, spunky, full of sass girl!

Love,
Mommy
xoxoxoxox