( quite possibly my favorite picture of this girl.. ever!)
to my sweetest little rowan girl,
three years old my love.. where on earth does the time go? i was just reading your birth story this morning, and wondering how three years went by so fast. didn't it seem like just yesterday that we were trying to convince everyone we weren't playing an april fool's joke, and that you were really coming?! your dad, greer and i went into your room this morning singing happy birthday to you, and i couldn't even get the first few words out before i started crying. you are so precious to me, my girl.
some of my favorite things about you, and your funny little personality:
- you are so stinkin smart. and i know that most mom's think that about their kids, but i think that you really are. the number one reason i think this is because you have an incredible memory, like your daddy. poppie was watching you a few months ago, and he read you a 10 page word book, and all the words either began with a P, Q, or R. some of the words you had never heard of, but after going through the picture book ONE time, you went through it a second time and knew every word on every page! i was so proud of you!! you've done this multiple times, like with stores/restaurants that we've been to only once; if we ever pass it again, you remember it, and the reason we went there. you truly have an incredible memory.
- you are painfully shy... around other people. but in our house, you are a little spitfire. you have so much personality. you have so many expressions and can go from A-Z really fast. (a true girlie, right?) but i think it's really funny how shy you can be. we celebrated your birthday a few days ago, with your friends. and you were so embarrassed that people would want to sing to you, or that anybody wanted to talk to you. it's funny, as your mom, to see such extremes ;)
- your favorite movie recently is Frozen, (that's why you had a frozen birthday party) and you are such a daddy's girl.
- you are such an emotional girl. sometimes it's a weakness, but i also think it's one of your greatest strengths. you are always worried about how people are feeling. you constantly ask me during the day, "momma, are you happy or sad?" and if you notice that i am particularly sad, you will continue to ask me how i'm feeling, until the answer is "happy".
- you are the girliest of little girls that i've ever known. pink, sparkles, dolls, dancing, barbies, necklaces, tu-tu's, dresses... you love it a.l.l.!
- you think that every little kid is your friend. if it's a grown man, it's daddy's friend. if it's a grown woman, it's momma's friend. and if it's any younger kid, they are your friend. even if you just saw them in passing at the grocery store. if they're a kid, then their definitely your friend. if it's a woman in the drive through, you'll say "momma, dat your fwiend?".. ha ha. sure is, rowan girl. i hope you can keep up that positive attitude throughout your life.. that everyone can be your friend.
- you are really polite and i hardly ever have to remind you to be.
- sometimes you are wise beyond your years. one time i told you that you hurt my feelings, and so you went to your room for a while and then came back into my room and said "momma, i sowwy. i sowwy i hurt your feewings." and i thought it was so grown up of you. i never asked you to come apologize, but you did it on your own. and you alot of things like that.... that sometimes even grown-ups have a hard time doing. i hope you can always remember that.
- two of my FAVORITE things that you say: "mon, i needa show you sumpin." and "pink, that's my fadite!"
- you are seriously so funny. sometimes i am literally laughing out loud at the things you come up with.
- i cannot believe the changes you have made from 2-3. you were still such a baby when you turned two, and i look at pictures now and i think you have grown SOOOO much. you are extremely tall, and very lean. so i think you look like you could be 5!
- one of the biggest things that you accomplished this last year was being potty trained! wahoo. just a few months before you turned three. and i couldn't believe how amazing you did. everyone told me that potty-training was SO hard. but you did amazing, and i'm so grateful! good job rowan-girl.
- you became a big sister this year and you are an incredible one! you love to talk to greer and have conversations with her (even though they are one-sided) and you talk in this really high-pitch voice. it's hilarious. you get up to help her even when i don't ask you to. you share your toys with her. she's the first person you want to see when you get up in the morning.
last night, before i put you to bed we were walking up the stairs. and given that i was already a little emotional about you turning three, i stopped both of us and gave you the biggest hug. you wrapped your arms around my neck and gave me a tight squeeze. when i pulled away, i looked at you and just said "i love you rowan-girl." and your eyes got really big and you smiled really sweetly at me and said "you my favewit, momma." and i just wanted the world to stop. i wanted to wrap you up in that moment in time and never wanted you to grow up. it was such a sweet moment. i couldn't be more grateful to be your mom, rowan. it comes with great responsibility, and is such a sacred role that i cherish. i only hope that with Heavenly Father's help, i can do it right. i hope you always know how much you are loved. cause you truly are..... so so much. your daddy and i appreciate so much the sweet little girl that you are! stay that way, and you will be so happy.
we love you more than words can say rowan paige.
happy birthday sweet girl!
love momma.
