Oh Summer, four years old?! I can't even begin to tell you how crazy it is for me to think about how quickly 1,500 + days have gone by and how much you've changed all of us for the better. I've been thinking a lot about what you and I have to look forward to together. The gratitude I feel having a daughter is hard to really put into words. You are absolutely everything I always wanted, and still you bring an element of surprise and delight into each and every day. 

The things that make you pure magic truly are endless. My most favorite things about you right now have a lot to do with your sense of humor, how affectionate you are, your confidence, your EQ, and your coordination. I used to tell Daddy when you were in my belly that you were most definitely going to have some of the traits I always wished I had. Let's just say, your blonde hair, olive skin, and athleticism did not come from me. Your confidence, your wit, and your EQ absolutely did. You are enough like me, and enough opposite that I see us complimenting each other more and more as you grow up. When we went to Hawaii a few weeks ago, I couldn't help but obsess over how perfectly suited you are for island life, and what I wouldn't have given to pull off all of your swim suits like you did.

You are such a little mama. You love playing babies with Wyatt, and school, and really anything that requires laying your babies and stuffies all over our upstairs. Each of them always perfectly prepared with blankies for nap time. You are very intuitive and affectionate. Earlier this summer, I fell at Auntie's house, on the stairs, and it hurt so bad. #embarrassing You knew it hurt me, and you could not have been more adorable. Your sweetness distracted me from the pain and you quickly came to my aide. Earlier this year, we watched your birth slide show, and you got emotional watching it with me - even before I did. I looked down at you when we got to the picture when I was pushing and you looked up at me with these giant tears on the cusp of your little tear ducts. "I hurt you, Mommy?" My heart just about exploded. I was surprised you caught on. Your tears were contagious. For as confident and strong-willed as you are, you're damn sensitive. You are going to do something pretty great with this life of yours. I feel it in my bones. You have a light, honey. And I will make it my job to ensure it never ever dims. I am committed to ensuring it just gets brighter and brighter and brighter. We're all so lucky to be near you. 

As for some other things you're up to these days - you are a swimmer now, you have become a lot more patient with me to do your hair, and you continue to do most things on your own. You get dressed, you wipe your own butt (eh hem, Wyatt?), you make your bed, you get your own water, snacks, and you know how to turn Netflix on. Get it, girl. Sleeping in past 6AM is getting... better, I think. You'll have to ask Daddy because I have finally learned how to sleep through your wake up calls. #onlytook4years #tablesturneddaddy

You are such a great little sister. You and Wyatt are incredibly close. A lot of that has to do with how patient you are, and how eager you are to learn from him. You're a little competitive for his liking, but I love watching you keep him on his toes. We decided to stick you in Pre-K this year, just as Wyatt started Kindergarten. We became super excited about keeping you both close in grades - a year apart means you'll always watch out for each other. 

I have to insert this story really fast. About 15 minutes ago, Wyatt wasn't very nice to you. I sent him to his room and told him he could come back out in 5 minutes as long as he was ready to say sorry to you. He popped down after just about 5 minutes, said he was sorry and walked over to me. I hugged him and told him I was proud of him for doing exactly what I asked him to do. His response? "I came back down and said I was sorry to Summer because I have to go poop." #normalday About 2 minutes ago you asked him to help you make something on your white board. He did, then he encouraged you to try yourself. When you put your work down, Wyatt immediately came to it's defense. "Summer, it's a really good fishy." You root each other on, and it's in these moments, the ones where you think we aren't watching, that we know we're doing something right.

We love watching you learn new things, and continue to find your voice. And build on your confidence. You constantly make us smile, and laugh. Oh, the laughter that's in this house because of you. I think the best quality about you is that you never, ever, ever, take yourself too seriously. You always find it in yourself to laugh and be silly. Nothing beats sharing in something funny with you. It is the absolute best getting the giggles with you. Happy 4th Year my sweet, giant-hearted, strong, smart, inclusive, competitive, feisty girl. Please never stop giving us a run for our money, and inspiring me to be my best so you'll do the same.

Love Always,

Mama

LATELY

Littlest loves of my life - It's been awhile, but the truth is so much has stayed the same since I last wrote to you both. You're both still loving life at your Montessori school, we still love our house/not so love our neighborhood, and you both are continuing to entertain us with the paradox of sibling-hood. This paradox is represented by the following:

• loving each other / hating each other 
• being best friends / being enemies 
• wanting to be completely hooked at the hip / wanting nothing to do with the other 
• missing each other / hurting each other 

... and most importantly, always ultimately loving each other.

It's so funny watching you guys together -- you're so incredibly different. You always spend more time on the positive side of the paradox spectrum, might I add. The hating each other lasts one of two seconds because separating you two is worse for you both. The days you spend apart, you eat up the evenings catching up on play time. Watching you two reunite after even just an hour or two apart is the best ever. Wyatt, you can't find your words fast enough through the excitement of sharing whatever you believed to be the highlight of your day that summer would appreciate the most. Whatever you both do without the other, you're always thinking about each other. When Wyatt and I are out and about during your nap, Summer - he is ALWAYS thinking about you and talking about you. Always wanting to get you something since you aren't there. Always considering you. Summer, you do the same thing. Always asking what Wyatt's doing when he isn't with us, always including him in our conversation, and wanting to bring him something when we get home.

You both love playing school together upstairs. You color together, play babies together, talk on walkie talkies, watch movies, dance and sing together. You're both obsessed with white boards. And you are currently loving Trolls and the Secret Life of Pets. You watch Peppa every morning, sometimes Daniel Tiger. Wyatt, you sleep later than Summer STILL - typically coming into our room first, and either crawling in our bed for a show or scaring me when you creep up on me after getting out of the shower. Summer, you're up in the 5s most days - always going to your daddy's side first. LOVE YOU for that. The first thing you say is either -- "Da-eeeeee, awfee." or "Da-eeee, shows." It's always two words, even though you speak in complete sentences. You whisper now, but still walk like you have clogs on your feet in the morning. Heel, toe, heel, toe, heel toe.

Summer - your hair is either a complete mess, or perfectly braided. There's no in between. You are obsessed with your bunny puppet. You love hugging and kissing, and singing and cuddling. You are equally in love with Daddy and I -- finally, I moved up on your list! You say 'I love you' randomly. You compliment people at random times. "I love your face. I like your bag." or "I like your eyebrows and ears." You often call out that you and I are similar. even this morning, you said "I love you Mommy. We both have gy-nas." Dead.

Wyatt - you yourself can be a walking contradiction. strong willed and persistent, sensitive and vulnerable. You are starting to really enjoy being read to, especially Jack and Annie chapter books. That is our thing every night -- the best reward is to be read to before bed, and the biggest consequence is when I take it away for not listening or talking back. Yah, you are definitely 5 going on 15 sometimes. The talking back is super fun.

You both enjoy swimming and being outside. Winter months are hard on you for this reason, but thankfully your school still takes you outside rain or shine twice a day - because lord knows, I do not. Daddy is the go to adventure guy on the weekends -- always taking you both somewhere Saturday mornings usually. Donuts, coffee, Grammy and Papa's. I am the 1:1 parent - you can count on me for a trip to Target or Costco "just us".

One of your favorite things ever is when Gramma spends the night when Daddy and I bolt out of here for a date night away. She lets you do just about anything as long as you don't fight, whine, or cry. You build massive forts in the living room, watch movies and stay up late, and who knows what else. You are lucky kids -- you have so many people that want to spend time with you. They actually choose to do that over other things. Gramma preferred to ring in the new year with you two crazies instead of go out on the town. See? That much.

We love you both so dang much. I try every day to be the best I can for you - and you continue to do the same. We hate disappointing each other. Every day is a new day, and each day we get better and better at accepting all of the parts of the day, even the shitty ones, as the best parts. You make us so proud to be your parents.

Love, love, love you more.

Your Mama