20 Questions: Kaiah turns three!

1. What is your favorite color? Blue
2. What is your favorite toy? Alice doll
3. What is your favorite food? cake
4. What is your favorite movie? Aurora (Sleeping Beauty)
5. What is your favorite outfit? skirt on the ground
6. What is your favorite game? running with daddy and with the blanket
7. What is your favorite snack? granola bar
8. What is your favorite animal? pig tuf they don't lick
9. What is your favorite song? I love my best nest (from The Best Nest)
10. What is your favorite book? coloring book - the white one (dry erase homework)
11. Who is your best friend? daddy
12. What is your favorite cereal? marshmallow
13. What is your favorite thing to do outside? play in the snow
14. What is your favorite drink? apple juice
15. What is your favorite holiday? Halloween
16. What do you like to take to bed with you each night? the mean queen from Alice and my blankie when it fall down
17. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? cereal
18. What kind of a birthday party do you want? Alice in Wonderland Mad Hatter tea party
19. What is your biggest fear? the monster that hides in my closet that eats me
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? a Cheshire cat. No Aurora.

Three . . .

Kaiah,

I wish I had a way to bundle up all of you into a perfect little blog post so that I never forget anything. You are turning into such an independent little girl. So unique, so you. You are just so much more than I could have ever imagined. Ever dreamed.

So, here is my feeble attempt at capturing you . . .

You are so incredibly smart - like really, truly smart. People always think that you are much older than you really are. It's because of how good you talk. People just can't believe the complete sentences and conversations you can have!

You are more girly than I ever thought was possible. You love to wear your "Summer Dress on the ground with shirt under it." You love your nails painted, bows in your hair, make-up, princesses, Barbies, dress-up, and everything pink!

You have the absolute most gorgeous hair in the world - hair that others only dream of! 

You hate it when daddy calls you any nickname other than the only approved one - Kaiah Princess. His recent favorite is Kaiah pumpkin. Every time he calls you that, you say, "No pumpkin, daddy. Kaiah Princess!"

You will not wear anything other than dresses - not even skirts. Pants are completely out of the question.

You love, love, love your little sister. You are such a big helper. You pick up the sippy cup endlessly thrown on the ground, you throw away the dirty diapers, you "shh" every single tear, and you even share your treats in the car!

You make me so happy and equally break my heart. Most mornings, you say "No work today, mom? Mom, I miss you today. You no go to work, please." Breaks me.

You say the best prayers in the whole world. You always include Grandma WeWe and Uncle Jake, plus unique individual things each day. You love church because you get to wear pretty dresses and play with friends.

Even though you are still really shy, you absolutely love your friends. You always ask for "My Carter" and "My Ciara" and "My Bubba." You wish you could play with them every single day.

You are so incredibly loved. You are so incredibly loved.

Love,                

Your Mommy

To my Maisie,

1 year. 17 lbs (7th percentile). 27 inches (13th percentile).

Maisie, 

You're so little. You're my baby. I'm having an incredibly hard time believing that you are a whole year old. Yet, every single day you do something new to prove to me that you aren't a baby anymore. You're growing up.

• You walk. Not all the time, but in this excited bouncy little way of yours. You're pretty stable, but you get so excited and ahead of yourself and then stumble, with a giggle, to the ground.
• You communicate more than I ever thought possible. You point and say "that" all the time. I swear you say "mama" and "dada" and "kai."
• Food around you, any food (olives, pickles, lemons) disappears. We haven't found anything that you won't eat.

So big. Yet, every once in awhile you let me hold on to those little baby moments of yours. I'm not ready to let them go yet. Not yet. I cherish them too incredibly much.

• You will sometimes still fall asleep in my arms. It happens less every week.
• You still love your sleep. You dive for your bed at night and sleep 13-14 hours every night, plus a 2-3 hour nap during the day.
• Giggle. Your toothy giggly face has never changed. You laugh deeper and truer than any one I have ever known.

There is so much. You are so much. You are this little ball of hopes and dreams and love. So much love. And you are changing so incredibly fast. There is so much I don't want to forget.

• Elf nose. That's what Aunt Kamie always says. You have a perpetually pink nose that makes you look like a happy little elf. Perfect.
• Mommy's girl. There is nothing that you love more than crawling over to mommy, being picked up, and just being held. I think you would spend forever in my arms, sucking your thumb, if you could. I wish you could.
• You're already a best friend. You're obsessed with your baby cousin Aandi. You love her. You smother her with affection.
• Sometimes I swear you are a puppy. You love to crawl around carrying toys in your mouth. Silly little girl.

I am so excited to watch you grow. I can just tell that you are going to be absolutely beautiful. Breathtaking. I can't wait to watch you become best friends with your sister. She loves you so incredibly much. Every one of your tears is her tear. Every one of your cries is her cry. She can't be happy when you're sad. None of us can. You completed our family. Kaiah made me a mom, and you made us a family. I am a better person because of you. You've softened me. I feel deeper and stronger than ever before. That's from you.

I love you so incredibly much and always, always will.

Love,            

Mommy