To my Big Girl on her Third Birthday

My sweet girl,
Today you are three.  Three! How have the last three years gone so quickly?

Six months ago you started your terrible two's.  Although we still see them now and again they have seemed to have gone.  Thank the good Lord :)

You have thee greatest laugh.  Even your fake laugh is funny.  But what gets me is your mischievous laugh.  I think you might have gotten that from me.
And you love to be tickled.  Especially on your side or by your collar bone. You and daddy will get into tickle fights and the only way he'll stop is if you say the magic word: I love you Daddy!!

You also have this cute new little phrase that, although is a little naughty since you're not doing what you're told, is a little too funny.  You like to respond with a "Nopey nopey nope." Ha! My girl.
And! when you sneeze I'll say Bless you and daddy will say Gesundheit but you'll say to daddy, "No. Bless you."  Hehe


You're so tall! Whenever people would find out your birthday was only days away they would guess you were turning four or five.  Nope, my big three year old.  Your tall, thin, and have no bum.  Makes for dressing you interesting.

I love the way you talk.  It's not always clear but it's so cute.
You ask Why? for everything.  It would drive me crazy at times but I think I've finally figured out how to answer you putting a stop to the Why? questions.  Just keep answering you ridiculously until you stop.


I know you're my daughter because sometimes things are so dramatic for you. You can run hot and cold in the same breath.  It's crazy.  How your Gramma handled me I will never know... Oh wait, your Great Grandpa!
However-
You are such a good girl.  You're sweet and polite, you use your manners and you share... most of the time.  But you're getting better every day.

You are growing up into such a beautiful little girl.  Not only physically with your curly hair, big gray eyes, and pouty lips (which I'm totally jealous of, btw) but inside, your heart is so lovely.  You're so caring, making sure your friends have tissues, asking if people are okay if they get hurt, saying "Bless you" if someone sneezes.  I love it.  Please keep your heart of gold.  Beauty fades, my little love, but your heart of gold is what will last forever, making and leaving impressions on people their entire lives.  

The other day you were playing with one of your friends, Isaac.  As you were playing I noticed that you would evoke the Damsel in Distress by reaching out your hand and saying "Help, help" and Isaac would quickly come to your rescue.  Even though you were just sitting on the third step up in the church or on the stairs at the playground and were clearly in no danger or harms way.
Right now your best friend is usually Jamie.  He's four years older than you but he'll gladly play with you since he's known you all your life.  He's such a good boy.  A couple of weeks ago I asked you what you wanted to be for Halloween.  You said you wanted to be a princess and Jamie a King.  When I asked if that's what you said you responded with a "Yes, because I love him." And you sure do!  You get so excited whenever you know he may be around.
You also really enjoy Emily.  She always has to come out of her shell every time you see her but she usually and eventually warms up to you and you have a good time.  You sure don't give up on her.

Your favorite new toy is Barbie.  I tried to put it off as long as possible but there was no keeping you away from it (thank you Gramma Jager).  So, for your birthday your daddy and I got you the pink Barbie car and a Pet Vet Barbie.  There are so many new ones out there that are too scandalous with the way they're dressed.  I don't want you to grow up thinking you have to wear clothes like Barbie to be beautiful.  It's such a misinterpretation of beauty and I don't want you to have that thinking.  So, when I went out to buy you a Barbie, I searched for one that was still beautiful but was also smart looking and had some decent clothes on.  The only other Barbies you had before this one was Disney Barbies- Belle and Snow White.  Both with their lovely flowy dresses from the movies. Grandma and Grandpa Forbes added to your collection and got you Cinderella.  You love that doll especially since she's a birthday addition and sings Happy Birthday to you when you press the bow on her chest.  However, Belle is still your favorite of all time.  (She was mine too ;)
Your favorite color is purple then pink.  You'll choose purple whatever over almost anything else.  For your party I took you to the store to buy a princess dress.  I held up a Belle dress and a purple Tangled dress.  You almost chose Tangled until you realized I held Belle's dress in the other hand.
Your favorite breakfast is cereal.  Doesn't matter what kind.  Just cereal.  You can thank me for that.  It's mine too.
At night you still like your dinosaur books.  I think they're so familiar to you that nothing else seems to quite match.  However, I will sneak in the book You Are Special by Max Lucado.  Such a sweet book and I want you to know that you are loved just the way you are by not only me and your daddy but your Creator who made you just as He wanted you.

You're doing pretty good with the idea of a new baby on the way.  You don't seem to quite get it as by you jumping on me or playing too rough but every now and again you'll touch my belly and say "Oh! She kicked me!" even when she didn't.  But every time I do try to get you to feel her kicking, you won't.  Cause you're a turkey.  We still can't come up with a name but you tell us we should call her "Princess." Remember that for when you two are fighting in the years to come.

Last Saturday, Daddy wanted to take you out to buy big girl panties to help you with potty training.  After seeing your friend Darci that Thursday just potty trained, Daddy thought you needed to be too.  So out you two went to Target and bought a pack of Dora panties and a pack of Princess Panties.  We waited until Monday to start since Sunday was so busy but it seemed to be the perfect day.  I didn't think you were gonna do it and threatened to put you back into diapers to try the panties at a later time but once I did that you were off to the bathroom to sit on the potty.  Lo and behold, you peed.  I whooped and hollered and yelled and hugged.  You had the biggest smile on your face.  I tell ya, I was (and am) so proud of you.  You did it again before nap time, earning your second star and m&m but after nap time it went kinda down hill.  I think I got you to go in the potty one more time before bed but we went ahead and put you in a diaper for the night.
You woke up dry the next morning and had a few accidents. in your panties but you quickly figured it out by the afternoon and you were going on the potty like a champ.  The only stopper to it all was when you had a #2.  You refused the potty and instead went in your underwear.  Daddy cleaned you up and had a talk with you about it so that later that night when you had to #2 again.  I saw you on the potty with that look of concentration so I left you alone.  When you were done I heard the big potty shut and flush so I went in to check on you.  You had dumped your potty and took care of it all yourself. I was so stinkin' proud!!  You got another star and, this time, TWO m&ms!
On Wednesday you were going on your own.  Running to the bathroom when you needed to.  Only once, right before bed, did you pee a little in your undies but you finished in the potty!  And since you had earned 5 star stickers for going pee I was going to take you to the store to buy a new Barbie dress.  However, you managed to earn another 5 bef ore we went so you got TWO Barbie dresses.  Only 4 more stickers on the poop side and you get a new Barbie.
So I think I can officially say that a day before your third birthday you were potty trained.  I couldn't be more proud of you!

My sweet girl, I love you so much.  I think you are truly awesome, funny, clever, smart, beautiful inside and out.  I love you cute... even when you make me smell your stinky feet and won't take a bath when I ask you to.  Because you're still awesome.
Love,
Your momma