To Sera at Four

Dear Sera,

This year it has been easy to be your mom almost all the time (the exceptions mostly occuring post-10pm when you still haven't seen fit to go to sleep). You have a ready smile, an absolutely beautiful little face, and despite the fact that you have grown ridiculously long and lean this year, you've managed to keep those cheeks at least a little bit juicy. You crack us up every day. My recent favorites include:

• jumping up and down with a tummy full of juice to show off the "blarp" sound.


• your bum--which we can nearly always see peeking out of your pants--all rosy from all the near-constant pants-falling-down that has resulted from you growing too tall too fast!


• playing cards (I Spy memory). I think you could do this all day. Despite the fact that I have lots of other things to do (I really do!), you persistently follow me around all morning asking if I'm ready to play cards yet until I relent. And honestly, I haven't regretted a single game.


• you're bound to be a diva in every sense of the word, we can tell. Obviously you like things your way, but more importantly, you can sing the pants off an elephant (why, why do I make up metaphors that make no sense?). I could listen all day.


• you're so sensitive! If we raise our voices just the teeniest bit, you legitimately get worried and sad--we have to be extra-gentle with you. And you get really sad when you see other people (or cartoon characters) who are sad.


• When we catch you mid-sneak or mid-fib, we just look at you funny and you're pretty quick to 'fess up with "whatevoh, I did it."

Most of the time you're still my baby, my last baby (I'm pretty pretty sure, I think), and even though you grow too fast, you're perfectly happy to let us sweep you up in our arms and kiss your face off. Your breath is still sweet, your hair is super-soft (though you hate having it brushed), and you manage to keep your face from turning into the sticky mess that I remember on your brothers most of the time at this age. I already miss you at two, so I'm doing my best to treasure every single minute of four--sometimes I really do wish it could last forever!!

Love,

Your Mom