Letters from Pemberley

Susie got two dress up outfits for her birthday, and while her tutu was in the wash, decided to wear both of them around together all day.  Because who wouldn’t want to dress up as Belle the Fairy?

Our little Susie Q is four years old.  She managed to get potty trained with just a week to spare before her birthday.  She decided four year olds don’t need diapers (except still at night), and that was that.  Hallelujah!  I asked Elizabeth to describe Susie, and she said: “She’s cute, she’s fond of dressing up, she’s doesn’t like to take naps very often [though when she does, she’ll sleep all afternoon], she loves her two new dresses that her grandmas got her for her birthday, she still sucks her thumb a lot and snuggles with her “stinky” pink blankie and Stinky Old Lionel [as opposed to to New Lionel, the lion I got to replace her mangled one–sadly, she rejected him because he doesn’t have a broken nose].  Only she is still cute, and she likes to tell me stories while I’m going potty [and really any time the two of them are together].”

Susannie has gotten fixated on sleeping on her old toddler mattress which had been stuck under the bunkbed.  Apparently Elizabeth and Janie took up too much of the double bed, so she moved to the floor, then the toddler mattress.  When Tommy moved into his own room yesterday and Elizabeth moved to the top bunk, Susie still wanted to sleep on her toddler mattress.  I put it on top of the double mattress in the bunk bed, and she’s happily “cozy” on that now.  Susie is frequently the last one awake and the first one up in the morning (though Janie is giving her a run for her money).  Usually as soon as Susie wakes up, she comes across the hall and climbs into bed with me to snuggle for a few minutes before taking on the day.  She is the only one of our children with whom I can comfortably snuggle in bed–all the other three are too restless!

Susanna is getting better at eating some meals, though breakfast is often a struggle.  We got her a 16 inch big girl bike for her birthday, but it’s still a bit big for her.  I think that means she must be a bit shorter than the older two at the same age, but we’ll find out next month when she and Elizabeth get their well-child checks.  Her temper tantrums have lessened some, and maybe it’s Elizabeth’s increasing moodiness or Janie’s increasing disobedience, but Susie no longer stands out as the strong-willed child.  She’s still irrational about things and cries daily, but she is more often sweet and helpful than out of control and bratty.  I was just thinking this week that I’m truly seeing the fruit of the hours upon hours of discipline and training that I’ve been investing in her since her terrible twos started at about 20 months old.  She’s starting to memorize little Bible verses and remembers the hymns we’re learning as a family.  She loves to say grace by singing the Johnny Appleseed song.  She sings and dances all day long, including a special song-and-dance performance of “Let it Go” at the dentist’s office last week for all of the appreciative dentists and hygienists.  Derek and I went to a church game night this weekend and had played a couple games with a familiar-looking guy when he mentioned he volunteered in the 3 year olds class.  “Oh, you have Susanna!” we exclaimed.  “You’re SUSIE’S parents?!” he said, as if that suddenly made us much more memorable.  Yep, I have a feeling we’re going to be known as SUSIE’S parents for a long time!