Dear Addison (4 Years, 2 Months Old)

Dear Addison,

You are smart. Right now, you know that. Please, don't ever forget it. Keep thinking for yourself and questioning the world around you. You are a beautiful little girl, too, but everyone tells you that, so you know that too. I want you to know your worth isn’t only determined by how you look, no matter what anyone says. I have always deliberately tried to make sure I tell you how smart you are because it’s the truth. You are smarter than you realize, now and in the future. Never, ever let anyone tell you otherwise. 

With your intelligence comes a pretty stubborn streak every now and then. Rumor has it, you're just like me when I was little. In fact, lately, you have been refusing to do things I know you can do, like write your name or throw your garbage away. Exercising your free will I suppose. And then there are instances of a little stubbornness and displays of your clearly superior knowledge like this:

                Addison:   Momma, Auntie Mal killed a bug yesterday. Auntie Mal, what kind of bug was it?

                Me:           I think it was a pincher bug.

                Addison:   Hmm. I think it was a lobster bug. Or maybe a spice bug.

You have always been pretty advanced in your reasoning capabilities, when you want to be of course, but don't get me wrong, you make a pretty darn good irrational toddler. The other day, we were watching Tom & Jerry Blast Off To Mars. (Tom & Jerry are your favorite by the way) You have seen this particular one lots, but this time around, as Tom was hanging onto a rocket blasting into space, you declared “Yeah right, like a cat could stay on a rocket ship.” You are too smart to even enjoy cartoons. Oh, but don’t worry, you quickly forgot how unrealistic it all was and have watched the goofy cat and mouse chase since this rational thought.

You have turned into quite the negotiator as of late. One thing you nearly always try to negotiate is bed time, but what little kid doesn’t? Mom says 10 minutes til bed and you say 11. Then mom says 10. You say 5. Mom says deal. It doesn’t always go like this because you are getting smarter but when you started negotiating, you weren’t too keen on what made a good deal. I love negotiating with you.

Speaking of time, in the past month, you have become obsessed with it. Your concept of units of measurement has advanced from baking your pies in the bathtub for “350 hours.” Even though there is no difference between 30 minutes or 50 minutes to you, you have started to ask questions regarding what time it is, how many minutes until something happens and you say things on Thursday mornings like “Tomorrow, on Tuesday it will be my birthday.” I love listening to you sort and categorize your world.

I have always been amazed at how you soak in the world around you. There is a show on OPB you watch called Wild Krats which talks more scientifically about animals. Because you have seen an episode or two, you do not refer to the hound on Fox & The Hound as the hound or a dog, but are convinced he is an American badger. Or your bald eagle beanie baby as a bird or bald eagle, but repeatedly tell us he is a falcon. We tried to correct you at first, but now just enjoy your listening to your certainty when you tell us how your falcon is doing.

You and momma are moving to the coast in a month and I plan on squeezing in as much time with you as possible. I'm sure going to miss you, baby girl.

Love you always, forever and without a doubt,

Auntie Mal