"Few minutes fire--what???"

Dear Maya,

You've continued to surprise us with your leaps and bounds this week. Mommy has been running around like a headless chicken rearranging our furniture and belongings in preparation for the new baby. You've been taking my nesting in stride and starting to show us you're ready to be the big sister. You're still not very good at sharing toys with your cousin Grace, but you're slowly learning to be more gentle with her. By the time your little sister arrives I'm sure you'll be even more ready to step into your big girl shoes.

You are still entertaining yourself with books and quiet activities here and there throughout the day which is just wonderful. Some days you clean up after yourself really well and other days not as much, but it's still an improvement. You're really excited that your room is reorganized and you have a big bed now, so maybe you'll have even more incentive to keep things neat. We're all happy that we can climb into your bed with you to read bedtime stories instead of sitting in the rocking chair. I see longer books in our future!
 

Speaking of words, last week when we were on Skype with your grandparents in Japan, you were showing them flash cards and 'teaching' them some English. It was so sweet. You've also had us in stitches with some of your 'Maya-isms' such as "few-minutes-fire" instead of the word "humidifier." Too funny!

And finally, the event you'd been awaiting for the last few weeks--your buddy Wyatt's birthday party was last Sunday. It was at an indoor playground and although it took you a little while to warm up to the place, soon you were jumping around in the bouncy house, weaving through the giant ball pit and climbing everywhere with the best of them. When it was time for birthday cake, you were thrilled to see all the toy dinosaurs on the cupcakes and to sing "Happy Birthday" to your best boy.

 

Oh, and in addition to our actual gifts, you added several of your own special touches. The owl craft you had been working on was attached to the top, the picture you made with puffy stickers was in the envelope, and you even got to practice writing Wyatt's name on the outside of the envelope. You were so proud!

 

Well, mommy promised you we'd get out and enjoy our new-found warm weather again tomorrow so it's time for me to get some shuteye. Love you!