Slow Down Father Time

Happy {Belated} 38 Month Birthday, Sweet Girl!

{I love you, too!}

Here are a few things you are up to these days:

+  You have a few funny things that you are saying now, with the cutest little intonation. I wish we had them recorded.  You say to your dad a lot, Uhh, are you suuurree about this?  And, you say to anyone and everyone, Mmmm Ohhhkkkayyy.  And, Hey, I've got an idea!  That's probably my favorite.  Especially when we are at the store and you see something you want.  Last week you saw some toy you wanted and I said how cool it was, but that we weren't going to be taking it home with us.  You thought for a few seconds and said, Hey, I've got an idea!  Maybe we could do all of our shopping and then come back and get this to take home.  

+  You are completely done with naptime.  And, it is making my life all that much more difficult.  But, even if I only have you nap for an hour, you are up until midnight.  On the days when we are home, I have you take a little rest time in your room.  Your favorite thing is to play with the Disney Jr app on your dad's iPad.  Crazy that you are barely 3 and can work that thing like a pro.

+  You are doing SO great at swimming.  We could not be more proud of you.  You love to dive after your little princess diving toys and you swim like a little mermaid under the water.  You can tread water for a good amount of time and you are working on floating on your own.  I love the days when Sydney is napping and you and I go out by ourselves into the pool.  Your favorite thing to do is play swim class.  You get out of the pool and then run to the steps so I can say, Hey, look, Olivia's here! The other day you had me get out of the pool so I could run over while you said, Hey, look, Mommy's here!  And, then you had me float on my back while you put your hand under me and kept reassuring me that you wouldn't let go.  You really can be the sweetest thing.

+  Your Grandma Irma gives you a blessing before bed whenever she is here or we are at her house.  It's something to the effect of God love you and bless you forever and may you sleep with the angels {and then she does the sign of the cross on you}.  At first, you thought Grandma was silly because there are no angels in my room.  But, the other night when I was putting Sydney down, you came up to me and started tapping on my arm and said, You can sleep with the angels tonight.  Be still my heart.

I love this one.  It is just so...YOU.

+  I have a collection of picture frames adorning our mantle - there are pictures of you and Sydney and pictures from when I was pregnant with you and then pictures from our wedding.  You were sitting on the couch the other day just staring at the pictures and you said, Was I there the day you were the queen and daddy was the king?  I had to tell you that, no, you weren't there quite yet, but soon after you were in my belly.  

+  You got to go to the movies {Madagascar 3} on Friday with your Nana and Poppy.  I'm so sad that I missed your first theatre experience, but I'm told that you were as good as gold.  I'm also told at one point during a chase scene in the movie, you screamed out No, No!! Can't wait to take you to see Brave next week. 

+  One of your favorite books these days is Ponyella.  It's a sort of pony version of Cinderella.  In the story there are two horses who are mean to Ponyella.  We talked about how the horses weren't being very nice and you said, You know what?  They don't have Jesus in their heart.  No, they don't.  But, I hope you always do.

Love you to pieces.

Amazing pictures taken by my sweet SIL, Marissa.