Dear Simon,

Your third birthday and what a year it has been. Last year we were living in Chicago playing in our enormous four story townhouse, and on our fun deck overlooking the Sears Tower, the Hancock Building, with the L squealing past at a distance. We didn't have a birthday party because, besides your good friend Amelie (who had just had a baby sister), there were no other kids to invite.

We had a great time exploring Chicago. So many things to do! Such beauty in every building! Free entertainment every weekend day in the park right across the street! The Museum of Science and Industry! Millennium Park! Daddy and I have fond memories. We're sad that yours probably won't last but, one day, we'll take you there and show you everything you liked best.

Right after your second birthday you started preschool at Lakeshore Prep in downtown Chicago. It was a very cute urban school with a lot of fun activities. The first few weeks you found it difficult to be without Daddy for the few hours at a time and it was really hard on Daddy to leave you. You loved your first teacher (she was very cute) and you excelled at music and art. When fall came around you were given new instructors who were, frankly, a little frazzled by your enthusiasm for everything. In circle time, while the other "good" children sat in a circle to sing, you danced around the room or in the center of the circle. You refused to stand in line and thought it HYSTERICAL to zoom off down a hall leaving one teacher to watch the rest of the class while the other tried to catch you. You became frustrated by your classmates (none of whom you particularly liked) and started to push them out of your way. You worried the teachers. The teachers worried us. By the late fall you tolerated school only because it had a man who sang songs in Spanish and played the guitar. But, wow, how fast you picked up numbers and letters when the guitar guy sang!

So by fall Mama's work was stressful, Daddy's work was stressful, and your school life was stressful. It snowed in the middle of September. When Mama came home from work we would ask you if you wanted to go out and you'd say "No, it's too dark." You and Mama don't tolerate extreme cold very well - especially if there isn't even any snow.

When a brief window of opportunity opened Mama asked Daddy if we could leave. PLEASE COULD WE LEAVE? Daddy reluctantly agreed to end our new and exciting life in the big city and to pick up our old and comfortable life in the most expensive suburbs in the world.

You flew back to California with Mama in December and it was the first plane trip where you were really excited to be on a PLANE! Ever since that trip you have talked about planes and taking off and wanting to go to the airport. Daddy arrived four days later in the car and you were angry at him for leaving you for such a long time. He was so excited to see you but you didn't want to be near him or let him hold you. You didn't, that is, until he went back out to the car to get something and you had a sudden and intense emotional breakdown. After that experience, Daddy stayed no more than a room away for a few months.

Since we arrived back in Mountain View your time has been spent playing outside and/or with your old buddies. It's really heartwarming to watch you connect with people again on a regular basis. You have lots of friends and you love nothing more than playing with them; you talk about them all the time - especially "Tokyo" and Patrick.

The best thing about the past six months is how you've started to tell us things we don't already know. You tell us about your day, what you like and don't like, what is scary, and all about your favorite things. Speaking of favorite things, your interests haven't actually changed much over the past three years. You like to run and jump and be rambunctious. You love being in water and have taken to showering in the morning and bathing in the evening - just to get in some extra splashing. We didn't swim much in Chicago but now that we are here we take you swimming every Saturday. Recently you want nothing more than to jump off the side of the pool and into Mama's arms over and over for the entire half hour. You also love anything to do with music. You sing a favorite song for a few weeks (enough to wear it out) before moving on to the next. You like stories too but you prefer them to be new - that or have a silly rhyme.

Besides being with friends, playing in water, and music, you love anything mechanical or electrical. You are really interested in how things work, particularly vacuum cleaners, hairdryers, blenders, electric tools, fans, and the back of the toilet. Almost every morning after you wake up you walk into our bathroom and ask for the back of the toilet to be removed so you can see the "bubbles." Daddy says this is normal boy behavior.

We think you know your numbers, letters, and colors but you usually won't humor us with an answer when we ask. You were very contrary most of the past year. The more we wanted you to do something (like use the toilet, go to bed, brush your teeth, try a new food) the more you resisted. Daddy has used this to his advantage. He screams "No kisses! No! No! No kisses!" just before you attack him with kisses all over his face. In the past two months you have relented and shown us just how nice it can be to have a little boy that has tastes and opinions of his own but also understands it is possible to like the same things as his parents.

You've become a little shy of strangers as of late and less willing to run into traffic (which was a big problem only six months ago). You've finally become aware that getting hurt is a real possibly so, where six months ago you would climb the furniture raise your hands up in the air and yell "I'M CLIMBING!", now you at least hold on while you flip over the side. We no longer have to watch you every second of every day while you challenge our baby proofing. We can even leave you alone with small objects and know that you won't swallow them and choke. You've never choked. You've never been electrocuted. You've never swallowed poison. What a relief.

When you don't know we're listening we hear you cautioning your friends to be careful. All that imploring you not to kill yourself over the past three years is getting through.

This past year you've maintained your status of being a really sweet, happy, silly, and remarkably polite kid. We'd like to pat ourselves on the back for just how great you are but, honestly, other than keeping you safe and hiding fish and steamed vegetables in your food, we don't deserve the credit. In a big way, we're not raising you, you're raising yourself. We're just those embarrassing people sitting in the very front row of your cheering section.

Happy Birthday Simon.

With Love,

Mama and Daddy