An open letter to my daughter on her third birthday

11th July 2022 2 By Rachael Stray

Following on the tradition, this is an open letter to my daughter, Elsie, on your third birthday.

I can’t believe we have had three whole years of you – where has that time gone?

This time last year I shared my open letter on your second birthday.

You’ve changed so much over the past 12 months you are definitely a fully fledged toddler.

Your hair is longer, you’re taller and you’re chatting so much more now!

What are you like right now?

You are still an absolute character and love to laugh.

Much like your mammy, you’re quite the chatterbox and you’re vocabulary continues to expand by the day.

You regularly repeat lines from your favourite tv shows “silly Nutkin” “there’s no time to waste” and we are definitely minding what we say as you don’t miss a thing!

That independent streak is as strong as ever within you. You absolutely know your own mind which can lead to some frustration (for us all at times).

But you aren’t afraid to ask for help if you need it whether that’s holding your hand up the stairs, helping you out of the bath or helping you navigate your new climbing frame.

You are able to do more things for yourself now such as helping prepare your snack both at nursery and at home – using a knife to cut up your fruit and carrying your plate over to the table.

You have little routines of things you like to do such as flying to the bath, making sure ALL your babies are in bed, biscuits and water while watching Peter Rabbit before bath time.

Although you sometimes struggle with your emotions and get frustrated you are still very caring and loving and together with nursery we’re helping you talk through your feelings.

If my eyes run because I’ve had my makeup on too long you ask me if I am sad or if daddy complains his back or knee hurts you offer to rub it better.

You tell nanny, pops and nanna and grandad that you love them when we enjoy regular FaceTime calls and when we visited Aunty Emma, Uncle James and Amelia you were very gentle when stroking Bobby and Tink.

You’re able to recognise shapes and letters and can point out names including yours, mammy, daddy and family and friends.

What do you love right now?

You’re a huge fan of Peter Rabbit and it’s your favourite programme to watch. Thanks to grandad letting us use his Netflix details you get to watch it before you go up for a bath.

Ted is your best friend and you enjoy playing with him and your other friends at nursery.

We recently had your first proper play date with Ted and his family when we went back to Daniel’s Fun Farm and you had such a fun time.

You still love playing with your baby dolls both at home and at nursery and your caring nature shines through here. You shush the babies, gently rock them, feed them, wash them, and put them to bed.

Playing outdoors is one of your favourite things and you relish the opportunity to do so both at home and at nursery.

Your clothes often come back covered in water and soil from your outside explorations but messy clothes means you’ve had lots of fun!

You have started to build your interest and confidence in climbing and obstacle courses particularly at nursery.

To encourage this at home, for your birthday we bought you a wooden climbing frame set that has multi use which you have already started to explore.

You took to it like a duck to water and as soon as you come home from nursery you ask to climb!

Drawing and painting is something you enjoy to do and we have been enjoying getting creative thanks to the box of crafty bits as part of the My Little Masterpiece competition.

Food is another passion of yours especially pasta and cake!

You’ve enjoyed cake at home, at nanna and grandad’s house and when we’ve been out such as this huge slab at Artisan Coffee Design.

And when you do get cake you tell us you need to have a bite!

You enjoyed your very first Afternoon Tea with the girls at the Black Horse Beamish and even though they accidentally gave you an adult’s one you got stuck in!

Milestones this past year

The transition from the baby room at nursery to the next one started shortly after you turned two and your confidence has continued to grow as you spent more and more time in this new room.

You moved from your cot to a toddler bed – thanks to some DIY from daddy to convert your cot and a quick trip to IKEA for small bed guards as you are very wriggly in your sleep!

In April, we finally celebrated your belated Baptism at the big church with a fabulous Afternoon Tea party at Isabella’s Coffee Shop with some of our closest family and friends.

We resumed going to mass once the restrictions had been lifted and you enjoy going to church especially playing with your cars, when the bells ring during the offertory and going for a blessing during communion.

You’ve started helping daddy to run your bath on an evening and you take your clothes and put them into the wash basket independently.

You can take your shoes off and coat but struggle with other items of clothing but you are trying!

And you’re enjoying climbing and running a lot!

My hopes for this year

I hope you continue to enjoy, learn and develop at nursery and settle into your final room at nursery when it’s time for you to transition over.

Shortly after your birthday we are going to try to crack potty training – last year you had shown an interest and we had some success but lately you haven’t been interested at all. I know you will get there eventually!

I hope you are happy and healthy and continue to challenge yourself.

You are just an absolute joy and you really light up our lives and we know we are so incredibly lucky to be your parents. You are so loved little girl.