3 years old

our baby is 3 years old today!! it's bittersweet. miss adelyn has been SUCH a big girl lately. but it's sad that a whopping 3 years has already passed. we can barely remember what life was like before you came along. you're such a delight and we're so lucky to have you in our lives!

miss adelyn, at 3 years old....

- you're a hard player! you go at everything full force and no holding back.
- you almost always have a bruise or bump or the combo on your forehead. almost always. you're a total bruiser.
- you are never ok after you get hurt. you get hurt, we ask if you're ok and the answer is always "no." even if you get up and get going right away. always a "no...i'm not ok."
- you are very well behaved when we're out! you listen and are cooperative. it's a pleasure to take you out and about....with the exception of you having to pee every few minutes. you have momma's bladder.
- you're very shy. everyone stops and gives you compliments or anyone that says hi, you shy away.
- you follow your big sis' lead most of the time playing. her imagination leads and you add to it. it's the perfect recipe for fun for you two!
- you've been counting in your head quickly for awhile now...where you look at something and can quickly say, "there's 3 girls and 2 boys."
- you LOVE outside. you love to ride your tricycle and can easily make it around a few blocks. you steer very well.

- you speak very well and of course i understand everything, and usually others understand you too. you do put p's for f's, so those words are challenging....um, and super cute. "look at the pishy." "can i have some pruit." "uh oh, i parted."
- you're still super cuddly. you love to cuddle with me and i can never resist. you usually fall asleep nose to nose with me and i'm just taking advantage of this time cause i know you'll be booting me out before i know it. you're a big time momma's girl and always have been. and i've never complained. ;)
- you like to color and draw. you either draw people or rainbows usually. you are fairly good at coloring in the lines and you almost always give each area it's own color.
- but there are times where you love to color outside of the lines too....um, oftten

- you love caillou. strawberry shortcake too.
- you enjoy movies, but barely make it through them still. you usually pick monsters inc or carebears.
- you end up in our bed for at least a little bit a few nights a week. you come right to my side and pull yourself up and in. sometimes i notice you right away and sometimes i have no clue how long you've been there and you're out like a light. i carry you back to bed.
- you take a nap probably 3 days a week. when you do take a nap, you have a very hard time going to sleep at night. when you don't take a nap, you're out by 6:30-7.
- if you're tired enough, you'll cuddle up with me and fall asllep. it's great.

- we still put a diaper on you to sleep.
- you're still a picky eater. real picky. you ask for food all the time and then barely eat it. and sometimes you devour seconds and thirds.

- you finally (as in the last week) need 3T clothes for length, but they are huge on you! 2T fits you, but is just getting too short. but now with the nicer weather and wearing shorts or capris - yea you can wear 18-24 months still and they fit great!
- you're a peanut. most people think you're younger than you are. you just hit 26 lbs this month, but that's with all your clothes and shoes on. everyone comments how light you are when they hold you. you're right at 3ft tall!

- you love to be held and carried around, so being tiny helps. ;)
- you can put your shoes and coat on by yourself, get dressed and wouldn'tcha know - you love to pick out all your own clothes. you refuse to wear some clothes, but if i give you a choice you're pretty good at choosing and being ok with it.
- minnie mouse is your favorite character.

- you say that you can't wait to go to school and dance. we shall see if that holds true in the fall.
- you still mix up your colors. sometimes you nail them.... and sometimes you just throw out the same color for every single one.... AND sometimes you just say you need help. it can be frustrating for me and i'm kinda thinking you just don't like to be quizzed. well that or you may be colorblind like your daddy???
- you're almost always sucking your thumb and pulling your ear still. your teeth are clearly changing from it. :( you tell us often that you're almost done sucking your thumb. ;) it's kinda cute.
- if you're not sucking your thumb and pulling your ear - you have your fingers in your nose OR your hand down the back of your pants. mmmhmmm. it's lovely. the other day you handed me a booger and said, "here mommy....i don't have any more room for this in my nose or my mouth."

miss adelyn.... you're fiesty, but cooperative. you're determined, but don't mind following the crowd. you're shy, but a go-getter. you're a bruiser, but love to cuddle. you're sassy, but sweet as can be. you can totally be a little stinker, but seriously (and i'm only a tad biased) everything you do is so ridiculously cute! you just have that gift of 'it's really hard to be mad at me.' you're a well rounded little 3 year old girl and the perfect balance to our family!

i'm more grateful for march 25th, 2009 than you'll ever know. you've been such a blessing to me, daddy and sissy. we love you so much adelyn ann!!!

"A birthday is just the first day of another 365-day journey around the sun. Enjoy the trip." ~Author Unknown