Dear Beaner-

Happy birthday, baby girl!  You’re 3 now- a fact that seems to shock you as much as it does me.  Since your birthday you’ve asked me at least once a day if you’re still 3.  When I tell you that, yes, you are still 3, you ask me what happened to 2?  I love how your brain works, little girl and I wish I could come up with an answer that satisfied you.

Part of me can’t believe that you’re already 3- weren’t you just born? I think your birth is seared into my brain forever- the fact that I couldn’t get an epidural, trying to literally strangle the doctor delivering you, the shock finding out that you were a girl and then, finally, the feeling that life would never, ever be the same because you were in it.

And it hasn’t- you changed everything.  You may be tiny, little girl, but you have the biggest personality I know.  You will not be ignored and you demand attention when you want it any way you can.  Sometimes that’s a good thing and sometimes you make me question all my parenting skills.  You simply know your own mind and you expect people to fall into line accordingly.

But the other part of me thinks you’ve always been here. I have a hard time picturing what our family was like before you were in it- it must have been so quiet!!

Thankfully, the times when you’re a totally delight far outnumber the times you act like a drunk dictator with a mood disorder. You have a wicked, sly sense of humor that is a joy to watch.  You’re quick to figure people out and know just how to push their buttons- especially Scorch’s.  It amazes me how quickly you can make him nuts.  As the oldest of my siblings, I so sympathize with him.  As your mom, I laugh hysterically after you go to bed over how you’ve manage to manipulate him.  You two are so much fun to watch together this past year as you’ve gotten to be more of a friend instead of a baby.  You race around the house playing tag, puppies, dinosaurs, hide & seek and what ever else your little brains can come up with.   There is nothing I like to hear more as I’m working then the sound of you and your brother’s pounding feet and loud laughter above me.

Bottom line is, we love you madly and deeply.  3 is going to be a huge year for you as you start school full time.  I’m terrified about this- but more for my sake then yours.  You are going to soar at school- I can’t wait to see you find your way in the world separate from us.  But no matter how far you may travel, you know you can always, always count on your Dad and I to be here for you. We will always love you, support you and believe in you because you are simply amazing.