My baby girl turns three tomorrow.
Three...wow. Time flies when you're sassy! My girl certainly is. Full of sass...and zeal and heart and joy and life. She is the child who's gears start turning well before her little size 6 feet hit the floor in the morning. "Good morning, mama!". "Why do we need to be quiet mama?". "I'm hungry. I'm thirsty.". And that is before we clear her bedroom door, God bless her. I carry her up the stairs every morning after I get her out of her bed and field the first 15 or so questions. I mainly do this so she doesn't hop up the stairs and wake her brothers up at what is usually 5:30ish. But it is not her fault - God has instilled this zest for life in my sassafras. She is bursting at the seams with it. She loves everyone and everything. She also loves getting her way :) I guess that is her way of retaining her diva status.
Her first words spoken to Baby Hayes every morning are the same. "Hello little baby, how are you!!!!", sometimes exclaimed with such excitement and in such a high octave, it would be hard to understand if you didn't hear it every morning. She tells every member in our family just how much she loves us too many times in a day to properly count. Pink, plastic shoes are her go to. She sleeps with her hands in the prayer position, tucked up under her cheek. She adores purple fruitable juice boxes and veggie "cheese" slices. She is genuinely polite. She tells me thank you and means it whenever it is warranted.
She adores her big brother and tends to follow his lead quite often. Almost always while wearing some sort of pink, frilly dress up frock. She loves to "spin" and calls herself beautiful several times a day. She can eat her brothers under the table and has the metabolism of an athlete. If she isn't playing dress up, putting her babies "down for their naps", following around her big bro or eating, she is asking to go outside and swing on her swing set or asking to watch "Dowah" (Dora).
Her daddy and her papa each hung the moon, respectively. I hear about how she misses each one of them throughout the day, everyday. "Mama, I weallllly miss my daddy.". "I just want my papa." (usually spoken when her current situation is less than appealing). Her favorite thing to do with her daddy is read her bedtime stories. He has commented lately how his heart melts just a little every time she finishes his sentence when reading her book. They grow so fast... If she continues on her current path, she may just be the girl that people find admirable on the inside as well as the outside. The Good Lord willing. My favorite thing to do with my little shadow is really everything. Our days consist of making up silly songs while I fold laundry, impromptu dance recitals while Hayes naps, cuddling on the couch, little legs crossed at the ankle in front of her, while she takes in a tv show and I sip coffee, her being a "big guwl helpuw" with the dishes, etc. I soak her in. It is truly hard not to; she takes up the whole room when she's in it. If I had one prayer for her coming years, it would be that she never loses the zest. Hold fast to it, sweet sass.
Emory Anne - at three years, you keep me on my toes, fill my world with pink princesses and baby dolls, are not doing anything to help the laugh lines at the corners of my mouth, and keep our grocery bills on the incline. Most of all, you remind me of my empathetic heart and daddy's strong spirit. You are twirl through life with such Grace, and would wrap your little arms around the world, if you could. Happy, happy birthday, sweet sassafras.
