Dear Olive,
You are so proud to be a big sister. You tell everyone “this is Henry. My baby brother!”, then you crinkle your nose and form the biggest smile I have ever seen on your beautiful face all while tickling his little toes. You have made this transition from 3 to 4 so incredibly easy. You amaze me every. single. day. You are so loving and so kind. You are becoming such a beautiful young lady. Your hair is well below the middle of your back. Your smiles and giggles are so contagious. I love watching you run up and down the street of Westport, hair flowing back and forth and your little legs just barely picking your big running shoes off the pavement. In a word, you are wonderful. I am so thankful for you.
You are very observant and always want to help with Henry. You are the official diaper-getter (and you often remind me that Henry needs a change!). Lately you have started nursing your baby (who you have named Henry – this Henry has pig tails!) You climb up on the couch, grab the couch pillow and tuck your baby under your shirt. “My baby eat my boo-boo” you say. One time I caught you taking all the clothes off your baby because “they were all poopy. Laundry Momma!” You also love to carry your baby around in your Solly Dolly Wrap. I have a wrap for Henry as well. Whenever I wear him, you run and get your wrap so you can be just like Momma. I just can’t get over the things you are picking up on! You are such a good Momma to your baby!
You started CanSkate this month, and are SO excited about it! On Monday mornings when we wake up, I go into your room and say “Guess what is tonight?” and you muster up the deepest, most excited voice you can and yell “ SKATING LESSONS!” We had you on skates when you were 21 months, but you never let go of our hands. Fast forward 10 months and you are on the ice, standing, walking, spinning, touching your toes and even jumping (a little bit!) on your own. Popa says you are doing axels! To say I am proud is an understatement. You are so independent when you get on the ice. You don’t need (or want!) to hold my hand. You listen to Grandma and I when we are teaching and you aren’t afraid to try anything new! I was watching you during our warm up on the first day. You look so little next to all the big kids on the ice. You are so little, but so eager! As I bent down to touch my toes and then raised my hands high in to the air, you did the exact same thing. When I made arm circles, you made arm circles. You totally get the teacher-student learning atmosphere. You watch and do what we ask. Normally for the first month of lessons young children like you cry for most of the hour. I was prepared for you to cry, but that didn’t happen. You got off the ice after the hour, looked at me and said “Momma, why was everyone cryin’?” At 2.5 years old you are skating. Amazing!
We went apple picking again this year! Kilmarnock Orchards (the orchard we picked at last year) was closed, so we headed to Wynn Farms. You were so excited to get there. The entire hour and 15 minute drive you kept saying “APPLE PICKING! APPLE PICKING” When we got there, you and Daddy took off to the rows and rows of trees, basket in hand. I quickly wrapped Henry up in our Solly Baby Wrap and went to catch up. You ran from tree to tree picking apples and throwing them into the basket. We had to remind you a few times to be gentle! It didn’t take us long to fill the basket (and snack on a couple while picking). When our basket was full, we headed off to the giant corn maze. We let you lead us around, and around and around (and around)! We found all the stations we were supposed to and eventually found our way to the exit. I headed back to the truck to feed Henry while you and Daddy went to get some fresh apple cider. You came back to the truck with a big jug of cider and a little orange gourd in hand. This little gourd started your obsession with pumpkins!
Kudrinkos has their beautiful fall display outside their store. The front is full of multi-coloured mums and gourds, every kind of squash and pumpkins galore. Every time we go into town, we have to stop at Kudrinkos to see the pumpkins. You go around to each one and say hello. Some you pat, some you sit on, some you move around to new places. One day we came home with a little pumpkin and an acorn squash… Little did I know that these would become your best friends, and bed buddies! You will not go to sleep without your gourd from apple picking, your pumpkin and your squash! You line all three of them up so you can place your arms around them. As I slowly close your door, I can hear you talking to them. It is so sweet!
Popa and G went on a trip to Alaska. They have been many times before, but keep going back! I think Popa only went for one reason – to bring you home some Moose Poop (chocolate covered peanuts). He was so excited to give them to you when they got home! You LOVE them! Now whenever you go to visit Popa, you get 3 little Moose Poops (which is enough sugar to make you go crazy)! You tell everyone that you eat Moose Poop!
We try not to let you play with our phones very often, but sometimes it is a helpful bargaining tool. You have a few apps that you like – all learning apps. Your favourite is an alphabet app! You are getting better and better with your letters. Now when we are out and about, when you see a letter you know, you point and say “H a Henry” (H for Henry), “O a Olla”, “S a Stacy ANNNND Scott”. You are constantly wanting to learn.
What else is new this month:
- You are super with directions! When we get to then end of the driveway, I tell you were we are going and ask you which way to turn. Last week we were going to the grocery store, but I drove past the turn (thinking I was heading to the rink). You piped up and said “MOMMA! Turn back there!”.
- You are always giving Daddy and I compliments. “Nice Shirt. Good Supper. Love your shoes”. One night at supper you looked at Daddy and asked “How was your day?” Daddy and I just looked at each other and smiled and then he told you about his day. You were actually did want to know how his day was!
- You love doing “Rolling pin! Rolling pin” all over our bed every night!
- You are obsessed with play dough! You make cars and cakes and bracelets.
- You just realized that Elmo and Cookie Monster are on Henry’s Diapers. Now you refuse to give me diapers without either of them on it.
- I told you that we can eat your acorn squash, but we have to cook it first. You seem okay with this idea (until I try it I assume)! Now, when you wake up with your bed full of fall harvests, you say “and this pumpkin we can eat it… but cook it first!”
- On our walks around town, you hug every. single. tree! Not one is missed! You Treehugger, you!
- We had to take a tick off your inner thigh. It makes me sad to think that I am going to be scared to let you play in the fields as you grow up.
This weekend is Thanksgiving. I’m grateful for you, Olive. You make me a better woman. You make me love your father more. You make me love your brother more. You make me criticize myself less. You inspire me to represent the kind of woman I would be proud for you to become. I love the world I get to live in because you are in it. Grateful, thank you, more please!
I love you to the moon and back!
Xoxoxox
Momma
