Dear Mia,

Two days ago, you turned FOUR years old.  Forgive me for this letter being a little late.  But your first day as a four year old was quite a doozy, and I was in no mental state to write you a sweet letter. 

It's been said that the child most like you is sometimes your biggest struggle.  And I see so much of little Laura in you.  I was shy and timid as a kid in public, but a complete goofball at home.  And I could throw temper tantrums with the best of them.  Sound familiar?  Is it a coincidence that we are both the middle child?  The lengths and severity of some of your tantrums are quite impressive.  We won't call it stubborn, rather it shows how truly dedicated you can be to a cause.  And wow, are you dedicated.  But let's not focus too much on that.

 I am finally embracing your shyness.  I now see that it is not negative, it is just you.  I was reading a post on another blog about their daughter being shy and it just struck a chord with me.  She said how she was done with telling her daughter to stop being shy.  You just be you.  And if you want to be shy, that is fine with me.  You be shy.  You do what makes you happy and comfortable, and I know you will do what you want to do when you are ready.  I'll still be pushing you a little along the way and giving you encouragement and confidence, but I'll also give you space and let you do your thing.  Nobody ever tells outgoing people to stop being so outgoing, so I am not sure why we need to tell shy people to stop being shy.  And by they way, you can be shy with boys until you are twenty two for all I care. 

Besides, you have made giant leaps this year in doing new things, I am SO PROUD of you.  You love going to school.  You love going to dance.  You love going to primary.  You may take a few minutes to warm up to a new situation, but you almost always warm up and jump in.  Gone are the days of clinging to my legs hours.

And let me clarify, you don't throw tantrums every day, and most of the time you couldn't be cuter and sweeter.  You love to dance and sing. You are constantly putting on dance performances in the family room.  You love to color.  We don't go anywhere without a coloring book and crayons.  You love to play dress up and put on lots of lip gloss.  You love painting your nails, and "doing your make-up" and trying on my shoes.  You only wear skirts and dresses.  You love to help make dinner and do dishes and help clean. 

You are funny and silly and goofy.  You love doing goofy things that make your big brother laugh.  And you always make us laugh.  You adore your brother and sister.  That lil sis of yours wants to do every single thing you do.  I'm sure it will stay that way the next twenty years or so. 

You still often stretch my patience to breaking point, but you also fill my heart to overflowing.  I love you so much and can't imagine life without my sassy little princess.

love you always,

Mommy