Happy 3rd Birthday to our Sweet Bailey Ann

I cannot believe it has been three years since you made your arrival 4 weeks early.  Crazy to think the little girl who is currently literally running circles and giggling in MiMi and PaPa's kitchen is the same little premie who looked so peaceful even with all the tubes and medical devices around you in the NICU.   From the moment you were born your daddy and I learned a new type of love.  The type where you would lay down your own life to protect a child.  We thought our lives were complete until you were born and filled a hole we never knew was missing.  In the NICU we constantly asked the nurses if your calm, cool yet feisty and determined (when needed, like pulling out your feed tube out) personality was a result of you being tired or if it was your personality. They assured us that it was your personality.  And they were so right.   You take everything in strides when you fall down you always get yourself right back up and most of the time laugh about being silly and falling down.  

You are the life of the party.  A lover of life who loves to celebrate as much or more than we do from singing Happy Birthday to your milk in the morning to dancing your way through the day.  You are a natural born performer singing, dancing and playing instruments after asking everyone to watch this cool move.  We have listened to Meghan Trainer All About the Bass over a thousand times.  

   
 You are a water lover.  You would spend your entire day in the pool, on the boat or the bath tub if we would let you.  You are an amazing swimmer.   This summer you learned how to swim the entire length of the pool holding your breath.   MiMi taught you to float and to doggy paddle. You are an adventure seaker who loves to be thrown up in the air or jump into the pool or from the counters.  

  
You are our special helper.  Even your teacher said you are the best helper in class.  You want to be a part of doing everything and you make everyday tasks like cooking, turning the car off and even cleaning fun.  One of your favorite things to say is "I can do it." 

  
You are independent and determined. You continue to impress us daily with how you can figure out how to do things like jumping out of your crib and coming into our bed without waking us up.  Getting yourself dressed or pulling a chair over so you can get up on the counter and get what you want out of the cabinets.  Once you put your mind to something I can see the determination in your eye.  It is like your are visualizing your goal and there is no way to stop you.  

You are sweet, thoughtful and a great friend.  You are always thinking of your friends and family.  Always asking if your friends like a food and can eat it before buying it.  You check the packages to see if food has oats since Ava is allergic.  Packing extra snacks for your friends and sharing in their excitement.  

You are nurchuring and the best snuggler (after your daddy).  You make sure all your toys have what they need including sleepy time music and extra blankets for your baby dolls at nap time.  I love in the middle of the night when you wake me up and say Mommy can I snuggle you or when I wake up and see you snuggling daddy or rubbing his back. You are always there to offer to give us our medicine or a bandaid, the cure all, always listing all the options you have, Cars, Princess, etc.  Your nurchuring desire has lead us to a love of cooking together.  

You never take yourself or life too seriously and have more personality than anyone I know.  You are always giggling and dancing around.  Your happiness is infectious. And people always want to be around you.  You are the ultimate cheerleader cheering for anything like going to Costco, Target or Publix one of your favorite stores.  Or for the ducks telling them they can do it as you cheer the on to get the bread you threw for them.  You love the cheers and drink out of fancy glasses.  

  
You are insightful, observant and have an amazing memory.  You make comments that generally come from the wisdom of adulthood.  Last week you noticed I had changed the color of the cups for your birthday and if we put up decorations or change pictures in the picture frames you are the first person to notice.  You remember things we told you months before.  You ask why so you can understand how things work in the world.  

Family is so important to you.  You are always asking where your family is and get so excited to spend time with your family.  You especially love going to MiMi and Papa's house.  Often you get in your car and kiss me goodbye saying you are going to their house.  You ask for a brother and a sister almost daily and tell us that your brother can sleep in your crib and sister in your swing.  

   

 You already have a great relationship with God.  You say your school prayers before every meal.  Friday's are your favorite day of the week and not just because daddy brings you a bagel and a donut from work, but more because you get to go to chapel at school.  

You have a great sense of direction and a love of weather like your daddy.  You are already learning what direction we are traveling.  You know if we pass our street when we are trying to drive around to let you sleep in the car.  You point out things like daddy's office and where Mac goes to puppy camp when we get close. You love checking the weather and pointing out clouds and predicting storms. 

You are an animal lover.   If you could you would bring your dog, Mac with your everywhere. She sits with us at the table for all meals, sleeps in bed with us and run down the halls at school telling everyone that Mac came to pick you up.  You love all animals and want to pet every dog we see.  The dogs across the street who sometimes can barely walk turn into puppies and start running to you the second they see you.  

  
You are athletic and strong.  Playing catch and playing on the playground are some of your favorite things to do.  You love to show off your big muscles.  You love to exercise, which is a love it hope you keep up your entire life.  

   
 You have brought more love, laughter and joy into our lives than I thought was even possible.  We love you baby girl more than you will ever know.