Dear Ninjette,
I can’t believe that you are 4 years old already! This year, we were lucky enough to be able to see both your sets of grandparents and celebrate your birthday.
You asked for mee-yuk gook (seaweed soup) as part of your birthday meal today. It’s one of your favorite soups to eat and it always reminds me of when you were first born and I was eating that soup to help with nursing nearly every day for a year! For our family dinner out, you asked to go to Rainforest Cafe so that you could have the waiters and waitresses sing to you, but we asked if we could switch since Rainforest is a bit far in the middle of the week. You had no problem switching to Cheesecake Factory since we told you that they sing for you there too. We love that you know exactly what you want, but you are still willing to compromise. You were tickled pink as the waiters and waitresses sang to you. You had the same wonderful look when we came home and put candles on the cupcakes you helped me make earlier today.
Your smile radiates such joy! Your birthday wish was for love. You are always thinking of others and love your family and friends with such a fierceness. You ask so many tough and amazing questions for someone who just turned 4. Sometimes, we don’t even know how to answer you and we have to take a moment to go and do some research before we can answer you to your satisfaction.
You love to sing and dance while making up your own lyrics. Being outside, getting your hands in dirt, running in to the ocean are some of the things you love to do. You are also a collector – of rocks, twigs, leaves, etc. Your favorite color is still yellow (although you call it lellow!) and it matches your personality perfectly. I love that you say things like “puter” for computer, “ipsy bipsy” for itsy-bitsy, and how you still sing your abc’s a little bit mixed up. You also know how to spell your name and write it all on your own. You love to practice writing your letters and always ask me to spell out words so you can write them down.
You love all things princess, but you also love trains, cars, pirates, dinosaurs, and superheroes. Your latest obsession also involves Legos and when we found Daddy’s Legos from when he was a kid, you immediately had to have them. I also love that you were totally in to soccer, but still dream of being a ballerina and insist on taking more dance classes. You also talk often about kitty cats and doggies and hope to have a whole bunch of them. You have added being a veterinarian to your list of things you will become when you are older.
You told us that when you were 4, you would start wearing underwear and would be fully potty trained. True to your word, you did exactly that. A few weeks before turning 4, you were wearing underwear and using the toilet like a big girl. I guess I should’ve been a bit more patient.
We always laugh when you hear Korean being spoken and you respond with all the Spanish you know since you think we are speaking Spanish. We’re trying to teach you more Korean and add to the Korean you already know. We hope you will want to learn it so you can speak to your great grandmother and to your grandparents in their heart language.
Our hope for you is that you will continue to love others generously with grace, laugh all the time, always have a song in your heart, and continue to be a strong girl. We will treasure each of the days of your 4th year like we did of your 3rd year. Don’t grow up too fast. I hope you will keep giving us your super strong hugs and your longest kisses. Mommy and Daddy love you so much and we’re so glad to celebrate your 4th birthday with you today!
Happy Birthday our little Ninjette!
Love,
Mama & Appa