To My Beautiful Baby Girl

Happy Birthday, my daughter! We have had so much fun having you in our family. You have brought out a side to all of us that we didn't know we had! The boys found out they like playing with finger puppets and sparkly things, I realized that I really like the color pink after all, and you soften your dad up in ways I didn't think possible! You have such a soft spot in all of our hearts.

You are such a joy to have in our home! You are just about as girly as can be, insisting on pink bowls and cups for meal time (you sometimes SETTLE for purple) you love jewlery (what girl doesn't, right?) and you are really coming in to the princess mode. Whenever I manage to get your hair done, you look at yourself in the mirror and say, "Look! A princess!" and have to hurry and show Daddy. I hope you will be able to do that throughout your life. You also love to look at that beautiful princess in the mirror and make some very silly faces. I hope you don't lose the silly side of yourself--ever.

You love your brothers and are already so compassionate with them. As a matter of fact, JT isn't feeling good as I write this, and you have been patting him on the shoulder, assuring him we will see the doctor soon, and are sitting right by his side with your jackets on, under blankets, (it is only 54 degrees this morning!!) snuggling a toy and watching a movie. He feels better because you are there. He loves having you as his little sideckick.

You love to eat spaghetti, cereal (frosted mini wheats are your favorite), fruit, macaroni and cheese, and not much else. You don't/won't eat meat, except for the occasional bites of a turkey sandwich. Oh, and yoou are addicted to milk (protein to make up for the no meat diet?).

I think that one of your biggest achievements in your life is that you potty trained yourself. Daughter, you rock. You saved us about a year and a half of diaper money. That really adds up! I am talking like $1000 worth or something! Now listen to me very carefully right now. In 16 years or so, when you are going off to college and your Dad is grumbling about giving you so much money, you just remind him about how much you saved him when you potty trained yourself, and that he owes you. Now, this is a one time deal, so use it wisely!

We absolutely LOVE having little pink things all over the place. Our friends really came through for you with this year's birthday party. WE have pink ponies, piggies, teacups, jewlery, sparkly coloring paper and all things girly around the house now. What a refreshing change from nerf darts and legos all over the place!

We love you, daugher! Thank you for being our own sparkly, pink, wonderful person in our home!