OMGee, My Baby Girl is Three!

Emma Kate,

Your birthday is today, and all I can think is, "OMGee, my baby girl is three!"

This past year of your life has been filled with joys as you've overcome obstacles and settled more and more into the beautiful person you are. Hardships and struggles have also presented challenges, but I am always in awe of how you adapt and grow, and your ability to transform others in the process.

A recap of the highlights are below for you to enjoy when you look back.

Important Dates and Events

- July 19^th- A swollen foot because of mosquito and ant bites meant your first trip to urgent care. 

- Aug. 9th-11^th- We took a mini vacay trip as a family to Charleston to visit the Jacos and meet baby Eleanor. You two share a birthday!
- Aug. 11^th- On the way home from Charleston, we ate at Uno Pizzeria. You put toilet paper in the toilet, pushed it down to go under the water, and then placed that same hand in your mouth. (This is a memory I seem to have repressed because I do not remember this, but it was on the list in my phone of stories to include in your birthday letter).  

- Sept. 14^th-You said the "u" in "Joshua" for the first time instead of saying "Jaja." This hit my heart hard!  

- Sept. 18^th- You started potty training and were using the bathroom like a champ within a week.

- Jan. 1^st- You kids went to the track with Daddy at Sullivan Middle School. There was a girl running, and you told Daddy you wanted the girl to hold you. Daddy asked you, "What's her name?" You said, "Ms. Christie." Daddy said, "That's not Ms. Christie. Also, she's exercising. And she doesn't know who you are."

- Jan. 2^nd- During morning snack, you were getting upset. I asked you to practice patience as you waited for animal crackers. You obliged. At lunchtime, you repeated getting upset and started demanding food. I asked you to practice patience. You yelled, "I already practiced patience."

- April 7^th- Gabriella Stocker was baptized. I told you the day before we would be going to Transformation to see Gabby be baptized. You asked what baptized meant, so I said that it meant that since Gabby gave her life to Jesus she wanted others to know. On the way to church the next day you said, "We're going to Transformation because Gabby is going to be exercised. She gave her heart to Jesus and turned herself around." You were copying the words you sing at home all the time:
"You give your heart to Jesus and you turn yourself around. That's what it's all about."

- May 6^th- You stuck a popcorn kernel up your left nostril, and I completely freaked out as I thought we were going to have to take your second visit to urgent care. After calming down, I was able to carefully dislodge the kernel with a toothpick.

- May 9^th- You moved from the booster seat to occasionally occupy a seat at the table. Meal times are a constant refrain of us telling you to return to your seat.

Additional Anecdotes and Words

- You loved going through naming everyone in our family and the Murray family once you got started. You made sure to not forget anyone.  

- "I'm just joting," and "I'm just kitting" were two of your favorite expressions.
- Every time the Spirit theme song played, you galloped and danced around the living room with Daddy when he was home.

- You said, "luch" for "look," "bundy" for "bunny," milt" for "milk," "docks" for "socks," "yet" and "yech" for "yes," "pontytail" for "ponytail," "havioli" for "ravioli," and "popacorn" for "popcorn."

- We got you to use the bathroom by asking Joshua to go to the bathroom when we knew he didn't need to. You are so competitive that you'd "race" him because you thought he did need to go to the bathroom.

- You continually said that I have purple eyes.  

- Asking people to put your hair in a "pontytail" when you saw a ponytail holder on their wrists was one of your favorite pastimes. 

- In early December, you started loving to wear pants with pockets. Your face would break out into the widest grin as you put your hands in your pockets and said, "I do have pockets," emphasizing "do."

- You, like most other small children this year, were obsessed with singing the "Baby Shark" song.

- The day that Levi wore his vest, you told him, "You looking tute" for cute.

- Your strategy at events to not have to walk around was to locate a girl we knew that you could approach to ask if she would hold you.

- In January, you and Joshua were constantly saying, "Hi Miss Maple" to one another because of the book Miss Maple's Seeds when you ate together to crack each other up in the kitchen.

- You frequently misplaced your stuffed animals as a means of delaying nap time and bedtime, asking with feigned innocence, "Where's my pink bunny?"

- I thought it was hilarious every time you asked, "Whobody else?" when listing the names of people and wanting to know the names of anyone you forgot to mention.

- When you counted, you said, "Tee, tor, tive, tix, teven."

- "Mommy, Daddy I need to tell you something" was the unceasing chorus we heard from you, especially in the van.

- Through the month of March, you followed in Joshua's footsteps, repeating what he did the year before, singing "Angels We Have Heard on High." You sang while "playing" a balloon as a guitar. You also sang, "Go Tell It on the Mountain."

- Every night after Daddy got you ready for bed, you rushed out of your room to show me your pajamas, expecting me to swoon over you in all your cuteness.

- Your baby doll and stuffed dog served as the babies you nursed, even months after I was no longer nursing Levi.
- In April, Joshua moved into the same room as Levi, so you had the room to yourself. You adjusted easily to your own space. It seems like you thrive off of having time to yourself. You started sleeping in each morning and are generally much happier for longer durations now that you get more sleep.   

You are quick to forgive and ask for forgiveness. I love your sweet and tender hugs, the way you turn my face so you can give me a kiss, and your spunky attitude that only enhances your strengths. Your laughter is contagious, you light up the room wherever you go, and you make me a better human.

I love you.

Love,

Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy (said in my best Emma Kate impersonation with all the persistence I can muster)