{three}

happy birthday to you...

happy birthday to you...

happy birthday....

dear kater gator...

happy birthday to you!


my dearest kate,

three.
how in the world did that happen?
you have come a long way since your second birthday....

hard to believe, but last year you were barely talking...
this year we are constantly entertained by your chattering.

last year you slept in a crib...
this year you sleep in your big girl bunk beds with sissy.

last year diapers...
this year big girl undies.

but those things aren't really the "big" things about the year.
you are.
you.
my beautiful
spunky
dramatic
tender-hearted
dancing-crazed
strong willed
passionate
pajama pant lovin' (seriously...you would wear PJ pants every day...everywhere...all.the.time)
goofy
chattery
always-on-the-move
song singin'
blue eyed
blankie lovin'
thumb sucking
fierce
funny
big hearted
silly
circle spinning
snuggling
sweet
AMAZING
girl.

kate, you amaze me. you are an invaluable treasure to our family. Jesus has granted you a measure of zest for life that is incredible...a passion that can sometimes be a bit exhausting to your mama...but a passion that can bring Jesus amazing amounts of glory as you surrender it to Him. baby girl, i'm not going to lie...some days that passion is really hard for mama...the dramatics and emotions...the trying to understand all that is inside of that brilliant three year old brain. i pray that someday you will read this...that someday you will have a three year old of your own...that you could have hope from reading this...that you would no that no matter how hard some moments are, the bottom line is that I LOVE YOU. did you hear it, because i do; i love you. God's work is amazing...all of the fibers of your being that He knit together...and sweet girl, He has all the days of your life planned...He KNOWS you. most importantly, He loves you...sweet girl, may you never ever, ever, ever forget the startling and real truth contained in the words we sing every single night. "Jesus loves me, this I know; for the Bible tells me so." let that truth be your foundation, kate. there is no greater gift i could give you for your birthday. may you learn and know and walk in that truth all the days of your life.

so today, baby girl (because you will ALWAYS be one of my "baby" girls no matter how big you are), we celebrate you.

i love you.