3.3 or, Falling For You

Dear Miriam,

You were only home for the first half of June, but you managed to make it memorable.

We went to a dinner party at the Jorgensen's, just down the street.  We'd been there for about 20 minutes when Celia told her mother that she couldn't find you.  I walked back to our house and there you were, sitting on the front porch.  I asked you what happened, and you said, "I couldn't find you."  Four other adults and four other children in the house, but do you ask anyone for help?  No.  In your usual fashion, you're just off into the world to solve your own problems.

Your usual fashion also included falling down a lot.  When you came back to the party, and were playing with the other children, you got pushed and fell down and got some scrapes on your face.  The next day, you climbed up into the little magnolia tree and fell out of it when a branch broke.  That same day, you fell backwards off of the porch onto the lawn.  Two days later, you fell into the aloe plant and got long scratches all over your arms.  A few days after that, you almost fell out of another tree, but I caught you upside down by the leg.  I don't know whether to start you on the trapeze or encase you in bubble wrap.

Grandma and Grandpa were getting ready to take you on a trip back to the Midwest.  Part of that included getting you started on potty training.  You hadn't been very interested, but then we just decided to stop letting you wear diapers.  After that, you picked things up pretty fast.  I did not make the same mistake with you that I made when Corbin potty trained, though.  I had already given away his smaller size shorts, but his waist got so much smaller when he started wearing underwear instead of diapers that I had to sew extra elastic into all of his new shorts.  So with you, I made sure that I didn't give away your 2T shorts when I gave away all of your 2T t-shirts and dresses.

It was Father's Day this month.  We got Dad some new music, of course, and Grandma had helped you pick out some funny cards.  And then you left on your trip.  The first day, I was very sad.  I had left for work before you were awake, so Dad got to say goodbye to you, but I did not.  Only the dogs were there when I got home, which felt lonely.  The first weekend was very strange, too, being home with just Dad.  It's been a long time since we had a house but no kids.

I hope that you have a house and children someday, if that's what you want.  I would say that I hope you also learn how to live independently, but I don't think that is a skill that you'll need.  I think rather that you will need to learn how to live so that your independence doesn't scare the life out of your friends and family.  Which is not to say that I hope you change.  You're my fierce dinosaur girl, and that's just the way you should be.

Love,
Mom