My sugar and spice.

I'm not exactly sure how it happened, but this week welcomed a three year old into our house.
Three?
Really?
I am a big time celebrator of birthdays. Regardless the age. It's a BIRTHDAY!! Another year of amazing you.

But to plan for and celebrate my girls third birthday? Well, it's right up there with all-the-things-I-dreamed-about-in-being-a-mama. It made my heart so happy.

But at the same time, for some reason this year left me feeling all emotional. Even more emotional than her first birthday.
Because this was the year.

The year she went from this:

 

To this:



Okay, so maybe the cupcake consumption hasn't changed...but my little girl has.

This was the year.
The year she changed from my baby to my little girl.
She grew up.
The change from two to three is drastic. And amazing. And wonderful. And heart breaking.

It's a change from 3-5 word sentences to full on conversations. A change from fitting in my lap to spilling over but still trying to fit. It's a change from side by side play, to truly interacting and imagining with her buddies. And speaking of imagination, get out of here! In her latest world Nick is our good friend Lisa's new baby, baby Caroline, and I am baby Jesus. I'm not sure I'm up for the role, but I'll take it in her world any day.

It's just the year overall that I feel like she grew up...and I love it and mourn it at the same time.

For the record, I don't succumb to the common "terrible two's" theme. The almost-three-and-three-year-old is much more challenging. I've come to calling her my "sugar and spice girl". She would argue with you that she is just sugar, but I assure you...there is plenty of spice in this one.

Opinionated, independent, original, emotional, sensitive, impatient...there's your spice.

Tender, loving, cuddly, nurturing, caring, needing...there's your sugar.

My sugar and spice girl.
*********************************************************************************

Her birthday party was a blast! It's hard to find words to describe how happy I feel to watch her run around with her little friends, developing such important friendships, and just watching them be together. I love all these little ladies so much and feel so thankful for the role they play in my girls' life. The PJ's and Pancakes theme worked out so wonderfully (kids are SO much better in the morning!!)

For these friends...the weather...my girl...thankful doesn't begin to describe it.
**********************************************************************************
The celebrations continued the next day with a family BBQ and thankfully, the weather decided to stick around too.

Our big gift to her was a sandbox that she had to find from a string maze- I wish I would have gotten video because she thought it was THE funniest thing ever when she realized the string went outside!

(yep, we celebrate birthday's all week long and holiday's like Christmas all year long)

 

Right now she just thinks it's normal and expected, but someday she will know how lucky and fortunate she is to have such amazing and loving relatives on both sides of the family who support and love her endlessly. She is one lucky girl. We are one lucky family.
*********************************************************************************

I said I was a lover of birthdays, and I meant it.
We spread this one out three days...which, I mean, really only seems appropriate.

Her actual birthday was much more low-key.
Just us.
At home, enjoying the sunshine and our girl.
It was the perfect wrap up really.

(new shoes that are still a bit big for her but she couldn't wait...and who can blame her...it's Cougs AND they squeak)

My sugar and spice girl...
I'm not sure how I got so lucky to have you...
And I'm certain I don't deserve you...
But I sure am glad you are mine.

I love you with everything.
xoxo
mama