Happy 3rd Birthday, B!

My darling girl,

I can't even begin to imagine that you are three. I am sure it was just a few weeks ago that I was screaming over a small digital stick announcing your impending arrival and immediately calling your Aunt Bekah to tell her (Daddy still is not super excited I forgot to call him first). It had to have been just yesterday that you came barreling into the world, loud and unhappy about being woken from your in utero slumber. It was the first and last time we would ever see you complain about having to be awake.

But here we are, your third birthday already put to bed. The cupcakes all eaten, the presents opened, and the dogs thoroughly tormented with tissue paper. And you are three. The small bundle I cuddled and nursed in the late dark hours, the tiny being that held onto my thumb whenever you heard a new story... you are three.

Two was an amazing year for you. So many new adventures and experience. So much growth and learning. I hesitate now to call you a baby; so clearly every day the little girl you are becoming shines through. This year you...

1) Took you first trip to Disney and then began to announce you would be going back every hour on the hour since your return.

2) Started ballet, performing in two recitals (Perform of course being a loose interpretation of what actually occurred on stage. Twirled and clapped in amazement - and not to the beat of the music - may be slightly more accurate).

3) Had more playdates than your parents have had dates in their entire marriage.

4) Ditched the diapers with ease, even if there was one backslide at Papa's where you decided you pottied like the doggies. Outside. In front of several people.

5) Approached new adventures with total fearlessness. Bungee jump at the carnival? Awesome. Ride giant horses? More, please. Kayak with Daddy? Absolutely. And naked except for a life jacket.

6) Mastered the alphabet, counting, and the remote. Honestly, I am not even sure which one was more impressive.

7) Participated in your first wedding and quickly learned the gloriousness of hearing "Don't Stop Believin'" sung by 200 of your new besties.

8) Saw Frozen on Ice twice and still wisely decided Ariel was the best princess of all time.

9) Discovered that you had a say in what you wore each day and flipped your momma's world upside down. Though, I am pretty pleased the number one choice is always "pink with a B for Bonnie!"

The big moments of two were magical and memories I will treasure always. But the day to day of two... that is ingrained in my heart. Each day you came into your own a little more. Your fiery spirit emerging when you are upset. Your tenderheartedness when you are worried about others, especially other little ones. You love of dance and music. Of laughter and fun. Your creative streak and your intuitive nature.

Every day with you is an adventure and having the chance to glimpse the world through your eyes is a joy unlike any I have experienced. It is a gift to be able to see what excites you and captures your attention. Lately, you haven't been able to walk past a plant without literally stopping to smell the flowers. Your eyes big as you take in the vibrant petals, your hands softly petting the leaves to discover their texture. It doesn't matter what else is going on in the world... that we have a schedule to keep, or that your friends are running around you in circles... all your attention is trained on those flowers and the small beauty they bring to a chaotic world. What an inspiration you are to me.

You love big adventures and visiting family, but often I find your hand slipping into mine, your little voice whispering "I go home now, Momma." You love your dogs and are fiercely protective of your friends and family. You love to tell stories and have your dad's flair for energetic story telling. You are just as happy playing princesses as you are Thomas or dinosaurs, and often all are mixed together in a jumble of brightly colored plastic and imagination. You are madly in love with your cousins and they are quickly becoming the only ones who can hold your attention on FaceTime. You can be stubborn and unwilling to listen, but you are rarely anything but kind and loving. In so many ways, you are simply a joy.

And each night as we lay you down to sleep and you rattle off your list of things to thank God for (Mommy, Daddy, Puppies, Ice water...), I thank God for you. For the chance to know you, love you, and watch you become you. 

Three is going to be a big year, baby girl. I know you will embrace it all with laughter and tenacity. Happy birthday, Bon. Love, Momma