Happy Birthday Claire!

Dear Claire,

Tonight at 11:09 pm you will turn four.  That seemed a little late for a birthday party, especially on a Sunday night, so we opted to have your birthday party a bit early.  We're going to take a couple of your friends to the movie theater to see Gnomeo and Juliet, then we'll have cupcakes and ice cream in the party room.  You are SO excited.  You and Mary Grace like to plan your birthdays all year long, so it's a bit like Christmas morning.  There's a pile of presents on the table just waiting for you to get up.  I'm sorry that Daylight Saving Time fell on your birthday and you only get 23 hours instead of 24.

You've grown so much in the last year!  You started the 2 day preschool program, rather than just going to the "drop off" program when Mary Grace is in school, and you absolutely love it.  I think you'd go to school twice a day if you had your way.  You tend to hang out with the boys more than the girls (at least, I hear about the boys more).  The other day, your classmate Josh's nanny told me that they'd been talking and he said, "You know what?  Claire is so smart."  It's true - you're a very smart girl.

You love music and you love singing.  We made up a little song for you to learn to spell your name.  "C-L-A, I-R-E, that spells me, I am Claire."  I think you'll be an auditory learner like I am.  You love Ben Folds and the music from Glee.  We went to a party last summer and the big kids were playing Rock Band.  You got a hold of the microphone and did a rousing rendition of "Mr. Crowley" by Ozzy Osbourne.  It was hilarious.  You're quite a little ham.

You just woke up, so it's time to get this party on the road!  You and Daddy are going out for breakfast, and he's going to let you get pie even though it's before lunch, because birthdays are for breaking the rules.

Your favorite toy for playing is: Polly Pockets

Your favorite toy for snuggling is: "Ninja Baby"

Your favorite food is: brownies

Your favorite book is: Do You Do A Didgeriedoo and the ABC Leapfrog book

Your favorite activity is: Wrestle Night (which is always said with lots of exclamation points)

Your favorite place to go is: Chuck E. Cheese

Your best friend is: Mary Grace (close second, Shayne)

Something new that you're doing:  Beginning to read letters and learn their sounds

Something you've mastered:  riding your bike with training wheels

Something people say about you:  "I love her hair cut!"

Something that you're saying is:  "I'm still your baby, too, right Mommy?"  When you and Mary Grace are playing, and you need to do something else for a minute, you say, "Pause the game!" even if you're just playing with toys and not a video game.

Something Dad and I are proud of you for:  you are so sweet with your baby brother

Something surprising about you:  you love to wear dresses and "soft pants," and you hate to wear jeans



Love,
Mommy