Dear Mackenzie: Stop growing up so fast!

Dear Mackenzie,

My deepest apologies for this late letter. I totally spaced on Sunday, and well, I have no excuse for yesterday…

You are such an amazing little girl already, and so full of life and laughter. I can’t believe that at only 34 months old, you have so much personality and are completely your own little person. It seems like in no time you’ll be off at school, leading the crowd and taking the world by storm.

You have developed a serious love for canned tuna, and will eat just about anything that includes it, from homemade coleslaw mixed with tuna to garden salad with tuna. But cooked salmon from the grill is apparently not even remotely the same. And you are finally starting to be a little more daring about the foods you eat, although you are much more inclined to eat it if you were able to help in the process. The other day, you helped me make burgers (“from cows”) and loved getting your hands all dirty to make the patties.

There is something we need to discuss. You are a total clepto — dog’s toys, cooking equipment, your shoes, keys, office equipment — things just disappear in this house for weeks at a time. Usually I find them in a backpack of yours or other bags, but sometimes it takes me a while. It would be nice if you could always remember where you put things (or maybe it’s just that you don’t know what I’m talking about when I ask) but you do often remind us of where things are left in the house which is a huge help.

But give Ayla a break if she wants to hide one of her toys in your box herself. I know that’s totally not allowed but she has her reasons and knows you’ll keep things safe for her. 

Music really and truly moves you. Whenever you hear music you like, you just start dancing around like a little hippie child, arms waving around in the air. It’s totally cute, but neither your father nor I dance like that, so I have to think that’s just your own style already. You have also started singing some of the songs when we go to your music class, which is just about the cutest thing ever!

And you have your own style and way of doing things already, and definitely don’t mind expressing your opinions to us at all. It seems you have an opinion about everything, but so do your parents, so I guess we know where you get it from.

Your artistic side is really developing lately. You have discovered the joys of painting and are completely in love with it. You painted the entire first day that you discovered the paints without wanting to do much of anything else. It’s still the first thing you ask about in the morning, and you paint at least one picture for us a day. Every time I tried to get you to do something else, you’d respond, “I’m still painting” all matter-of-fact-ly.

You could be a nurse some day. You are totally sensitive about people getting hurt and want to comfort us with a big hug whenever we say ouch. Plus a cup of ice or an ice pack will fix pretty much anything. And I am amazed at how quickly you recover and shake things off after a nasty fall or misjudgement of the location of counter corners.

You are very affectionate toward your Daddy and I, and give out hugs all the time. You’ll often run up to one of us and wrap your arms around our leg to give us a big bear hug. Kisses are something one has to ask for, though. And you’ve gotten more affectionate with a few family friends.

People really love to talk to you and snuggle you, even if they’ve never met you before. They want to hold you and dance with you — and I’m pretty sure a few of them would like to take you home in their pocket because you are just so awesome.

You have gotten really crazy about your eating habits and I practically have to feed you again by hand, catching you with a bite of food as you pass by. You are apparently just far too busy to be still and eat.

You recently got a really cool Laufrad (a bicycle without pedals that you push with your feet) which you have had a lot of fun with but you get so frustrated when it falls over. It’s just ever so slightly too heavy for you to pick up, and always at a kinda strange angle, and you just groan and heave and moan, then cry within about 5 seconds because it’s just “too strong.”

When I look at all these photos of you, I’m certain that you are growing up way too fast. You are just so animated and have no fear about anything. I’m so glad you’ve been willing to teach me to enjoy acting like a kid again, to live each day in the present moment, to not be ashamed to watch the same TV show 13 times in a row if it really rocks, to dance if the moment strikes you, that laughter is contagious, and that even if something hurts really bad, you sometimes just have to carry on after shedding a few tears.

You’re the apple of my eye.

Mama

3 Responses to “Dear Mackenzie: Stop growing up so fast!”

1. Barb and Fred says:

   September 28, 2011 at 2:08 am

   You are right, she is growing so fast and has to be like you both……which is so wonderful and sorta’ rotten,too. !!!!!!
   Can’t believe she is almost 3 years old. You three have had quite a life together , and we are all so thankfu God spared your lives and blessed you all ,even with the pain and soreness.
   Has Kurt talked anymore about tennis lessons for Mackenzie ?????
   keep the great pictures coming…..

   Reply
2. Mom says:

   September 28, 2011 at 4:02 pm

   Tennis lessons?? She needs to be learning to fish and hunt like you did at that age…just no pigs! Love you…Mom

   Reply
3. katie @ Imperfect People says:

   October 2, 2011 at 9:10 pm

   So sweet! You have inspired me to write something like that to my girls on my blog. What a precious little girl you have there!

   Reply