Little Miss N...we've come a long way together. You are a little firecracker, girl. You want what you want and you don't want to wait for it. And can daddy ever relate. In fact, I've realized this past year just how much alike we are. You're very shy around people you don't know but you're a total goof once you're comfortable. You're a total night owl, you'd stay up until dawn if I let you, but you're also a good sleeper. Once you're out, you are out until the next morning. And you're just a wee bit cranky in the mornings, but then I am too so we tend to just avoid each other until I've had my coffee and you've had your chocolate milk. You're an incredibly imaginative little being, you can have fun with the simplest things and it's amazing to watch. When you commit to doing something, you do it with an unbelievable amount of passion for a 3-year-old. And I'm glad you have that fire cuz I think it's very important and will serve you well down the line.
You are a bit of a mini enigma. You love boy stuff like cars and wrestling but you also love playing with your dolls. You've started to demand I let you dress yourself and that's been an adventure since some days you come out wearing jeans and a t-shirt and other days you wanna rock dresses. But the dress days seem to be losing favor since you can't play in the dirt while wearing them. At the moment there are a lot of things you love but only if they're done/said/read/made in a certain way. (I'd say you're picky but some of my peeps would have a field day with my child being picky).
We had our first bout of the terrible twos during this past year. You're stubborn (family trait, don't try to fight it) and when you want your way, you refuse to settle. But guess what? You had to learn to settle cuz daddy stood his ground and wouldn't give into your demands (haha, I'm stubborn...er than you). Someday you'll be thankful that I don't let you have your way every single time. But you hate me with such passion when I deny you something now that I can't help but laugh just thinking about it. We worked through the terrible twos together in a way; I let you scream out your frustrations til you tired yourself out and then you let me sleep in the next morning. It was a surprisingly effective method (thank your grandma for it). You get cranky sometimes but you no longer fight me on the big stuff and we're both happier for it.
Lately your favorite thing to do is talk. Girl, do you ever TALK. But I love the sound of your little voice. I love our "dates" at Starbucks where you just have entire conversations with yourself and I feel privileged to be able to listen in. I love our dinners and contests to see who can color the better place mat (and you are undefeated, kid). The biggest similarity between us is that you are most definitely a thinker. Whether we're at a museum or a zoo or the grocery store, you ask questions and you take in the answers and study them and sit with them for the longest time. But eventually you color up a storm and get it all out. Or, much like me, you use music as your outlet. You bang on the piano keys or your drum when you're frustrated. But once that's done, you're back to your normal, happy self. And am I ever thrilled to be blessed enough to get to share in your little world. You are by far the best thing to ever happen to me and I am already so proud of you and love you more than I could ever describe (but that won't stop me from tackling you and smothering you in hugs anyway). I hope I can make you proud and that 15 hopefully long (but most likely for me, painfully short) years down the line, you can look back and think I was a good dad.
Happy Birthday Baby Girl!!
You are a bit of a mini enigma. You love boy stuff like cars and wrestling but you also love playing with your dolls. You've started to demand I let you dress yourself and that's been an adventure since some days you come out wearing jeans and a t-shirt and other days you wanna rock dresses. But the dress days seem to be losing favor since you can't play in the dirt while wearing them. At the moment there are a lot of things you love but only if they're done/said/read/made in a certain way. (I'd say you're picky but some of my peeps would have a field day with my child being picky).
We had our first bout of the terrible twos during this past year. You're stubborn (family trait, don't try to fight it) and when you want your way, you refuse to settle. But guess what? You had to learn to settle cuz daddy stood his ground and wouldn't give into your demands (haha, I'm stubborn...er than you). Someday you'll be thankful that I don't let you have your way every single time. But you hate me with such passion when I deny you something now that I can't help but laugh just thinking about it. We worked through the terrible twos together in a way; I let you scream out your frustrations til you tired yourself out and then you let me sleep in the next morning. It was a surprisingly effective method (thank your grandma for it). You get cranky sometimes but you no longer fight me on the big stuff and we're both happier for it.
Lately your favorite thing to do is talk. Girl, do you ever TALK. But I love the sound of your little voice. I love our "dates" at Starbucks where you just have entire conversations with yourself and I feel privileged to be able to listen in. I love our dinners and contests to see who can color the better place mat (and you are undefeated, kid). The biggest similarity between us is that you are most definitely a thinker. Whether we're at a museum or a zoo or the grocery store, you ask questions and you take in the answers and study them and sit with them for the longest time. But eventually you color up a storm and get it all out. Or, much like me, you use music as your outlet. You bang on the piano keys or your drum when you're frustrated. But once that's done, you're back to your normal, happy self. And am I ever thrilled to be blessed enough to get to share in your little world. You are by far the best thing to ever happen to me and I am already so proud of you and love you more than I could ever describe (but that won't stop me from tackling you and smothering you in hugs anyway). I hope I can make you proud and that 15 hopefully long (but most likely for me, painfully short) years down the line, you can look back and think I was a good dad.
Happy Birthday Baby Girl!!
