Happy 3rd Birthday Leah!

December 31, 2012

Happy Birthday Leah- you are 3!

When she got up on the morning of her birthday I reminded her that it was her birthday and I said “you are 3 now!” and said “ooohhhh!  When I gonna be 4?!” 

Take it easy kid.

It's funny- looking back, I can see her personality now from when she was a newborn- very spirited and strong and feisty.  Her happiness is infectious- she is wild and happy but strong and bright and sweet.  She is sweet as the day is long, and incredibly empathetic, but strong.  She is so much fun but a real challenge!  She gives me a run for my money everyday but we wouldn’t have it any other way.

These are some questions I’ve asked her recently (most I got from Pinterest.)  I want to do this every year, though the questions I ask may change.

What is your favorite color? Red

What is your favorite fruit? Pears (also clementines, strawberries and blueberries)

What is your favorite tv show? Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch?  Peanut butter and jelly

What is your favorite game? Fishy Game (the little magnetic fishing pole game)

What is your favorite snack? Cheerios

What is your favorite animal? Animal crackers

What is your favorite song? Mickey songs (I Love It- Pete the Cat)

What is your favorite book? Pete the Cat button book

Who is your best friend? Mommy

What is your favorite movie?  Madagascar 3

What is your favorite cereal? Cheerios

What is your favorite thing to do outside? Chalk

What makes you laugh?  “you do” what do I do that makes you laugh?  “when you laugh”

What is your favorite drink? Vanilla milk

What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Bunny and soft puppy

What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Waffles

What do you want to be when you grow up/when you get big?  “I want to have big things, like a big spoon, not a really big spoon but just a big spoon.”

I started recording fun things that happen and her silly quotes in a “mom’s one line a day journal”.  She says such silly, smart and sweet things everyday and I want to remember them in detail. 

Watching her relationship with us grow is beyond words.  She and her Daddy are two peas in a pod.  They love dancing together and she becomes breathless with laughter when he is dancing silly for her.  She says that she loves when he comes home from work and says “where’s my Leah-girl!?” and she always replies “here I am!!”  One day I called them both “weirdos” (lovingly!) when they were cuddling and snacking on the couch and laughing and being goofy.  Leah was in a little giggle fit and turned to josh and yelled “daddy, we is weirdos!”.   And even though I’m a stay at home mom, and Leah is used to me being the point man for most things- she still ask for both Josh and I equally if she is sad or hurt.  I know Josh feels like he isn’t able to spend a lot of time with her because of work and law school but it speaks volumes that when she falls down she will often cry to me “I just need my Daddy!”  Those two are thicker than thieves and I am blessed to be able to see them interact everyday. 

It is not lost on me how blessed I am to be able to stay at home full time with Leah.  It may be the most challenging thing I have ever done but the rewards are immeasurable.  She is by no means an “easy” child (she is not one to sit on the sidelines quietly) BUT she is a GREAT kid and very well behaved and loves life and goes with the flow, and it may not make the days "easy" but they are FUN and full of love and laughter and TALKING!!  She is loud, FUN, happy, goofy and SO sweet and always thinking of others.  She loves to share and is very nurturing, even to strangers.  She always wants to make people feel better and if someone is hurt, her doctor kit is not far behind.  She is outgoing and friendly and tries to make friends with everyone she meets- even at the grocery store.  She loves ballet class and really seems to be in her element when she is dancing- she just glows and shows her best self.  My nickname for her is “Hollywood” because of how dramatic she is.  And I don’t mean dramatic in the sense of tantrums and brattiness.  I mean that she loves to pretend and exaggerate her facial expressions and emotions.  She will say “I just want to be sad” in a very slow and quiet voice, with her bottom lip out, her head down and her eyes looking up at me through her lashes.  Then a minute later she will look up and yell “I’m happy now!!!” with a huge smile and wide eyes.  She loves to pretend to be feeling these different emotions (happy, sad, surprised and scared) but she also loves to “pretend” physical things, like slipping or falling or running away and being scared.  She will move all around a room saying “woah, woah, woah…..” with her hands out “pretending” to fall or slip.  She’s a NUT!  A friend of mine described her as a “young Lucille Ball” LOL  Spot. On.

We love the little person she is and we fall more and more in love with our little sweetie every year.  Happy Birthday Leah!