Dear Arabella,

Oh you beautiful girl...you are THREE years old!  

And what a week it has been because you also just became a BIG SISTER!  

So many milestones growing you up at once...

This year has flown by.  I'm told they only get faster and faster--so not looking forward to that.  

You learn things and understand concepts so quickly.  You are extremely observant and can spot an airplane in the sky or a school bus parked in the back of a building that leave me searching; you notice every little detail about what goes on around you, and you remember them; it amazes us.

Things you are loving right now:

--using the potty!  We really only had one bad day of potty training.  Took a few days off and then you picked it up like a champ.  You've already filled up one sticker chart and earned yourself a trip to the bookstore :)  It's so fun to see how proud of yourself you are!

--working and hanging out with your daddy.  He's been so busy at work this year, so you really soak up all the time you can with him when he's home.  Working on or riding in the Bronco, fishing or crabbing in the boat, planting and growing a garden... Whatever the project, if your daddy is doing it, you can bet you're right there close "helping".

--playing dress up.  You've really gotten into costumes and jewelry and "glass slippers" (your plastic high heels) in the past couple of months.  You crack us up when you come in all dolled up!

--Frozen.  As in the movie.  Holy moly....  I took you to see it in the movie theater back in January (your only trip to the movies as of now)--you were mesmerized!  And so of course we bought it when it came out on DVD and have since watched it 100+ times...  You sing the songs all the time and are dressing as Anna for Halloween.  Ob-sessed.  (also a really big fan of "Sofia the First" and "Doc McStuffins" right now)

--your BIG girl bed!  Since Kaplan was coming, we needed your bed to become a crib again.  That meant the queen sized bed was going to your room.  I was a little nervous about making this switch, but you absolutely love that big ole bed (who wouldn't?!) and sleep so well in it.

--puzzles.  You could sit and work puzzles all day long.  You're even getting old enough to do some flat puzzles with a little bit of help.

--cooking.  If I'm in the kitchen cooking or baking or making anything to eat, your favorite place to be is sitting on the counters.  You watch every move I make, ask all kinds of questions, and help in all the ways you can right now (mostly pouring things in and stirring).  I hope you grow up keeping that love! You also love a good kitchen set to play with.

--PINK.  Holy moly, you all of a sudden became obsessed with the color pink.  You'll even randomly announce to me throughout the day, "mama, I just love pink".   Anything you pick out needs to be pink; your birthday party has to be pink; even your pony tail bands need to be pink...this is all much to your daddy's dismay.

Things I want to remember:

--I think I've said this every year, but your giggle.  It is SO adorable and incredibly infectious.  You'll even snort every once in a while if you laugh hard enough :)

--how every night before you went to sleep, you kissed and hugged my stomach to tell your brother goodnight.  And randomly throughout the day, all the sweet little loves...you are going to be an incredible big sister.

--the way you dance.  You bend your little knees and squeeze them together and then wiggle your hips back and forth like you're a hula dancer.  You love to dance!

--you still absolutely love music.  "Fix My Eyes" by For King and Country is your favorite song on the radio right now.  It cracks me up because every time it comes on and you hear the clapping, you ask me to turn it up!  You can also recognize what movie a song came from when we listen to the Disney channel on Pandora...like in the first three to five beats of music if it's a movie you've seen.  I love that you have an ear for tone and melody!  AND on this note...you have started singing songs by yourself and it is beautiful.  Twinkle Little Star is your favorite, but you also like Row Your Boat.  Singing your songs together at bed time is one of our favorite moments.

--how perfectly you fit under my arms and into my side when you lean in for a good snuggle (it doesn't happen often, but oh how I love it when you do!)

--your prayers.  Sometimes we can get you to say the prayer on your own (you'll normally repeat after me or daddy).  It is the most heart warming and precious thing ever to hear you express your thanks and heart to our God.  You always mention things specific to that day and end with "and help me make good choices".

I hope you always take time like this to sit and enjoy life.  Relax, giggle, live.  Mine and your daddy's dreams for you are so big, but our God's plans for you are bigger than anything we could ever imagine.  We are terrified but excited to see where you get to go and who you get to become in this life.  We are so, so grateful for every minute we get with you, and completely humbled that we were chosen to be your parents.  Arabella, you and your brother are my most treasured gifts, and I promise that I will always love you more than you will ever know. 

Happy birthday, my love!

xoxo

love, mama