Our baby is 3!!

Our Birthday Princess!

Before the festivities.

Braylee with Scott's home-made igloo cake.

I still don't understand how the last 3 years have slipped out of our hands.  It seems like yesterday that I was two days overdue (and I had honestly come to the realization that she was just NEVER coming out), and perfectly content with life (Scott was in school full-time and working part-time, Paitin was only 19 months old, and I was working full-time...hey, I know, let's add a little more spice to our lives?!).  My labor with Braylee was a speedy 8 hours from the moment that contractions started to the time I held her in my arms.  She had a really mis-shapen head, but we thought she was just beautiful!  Here is a walk down memory lane...

Opoe, loud Braylee and Me on January 17th, 2008 (Oh, how I miss my Oma)

Nana Flo with Paitin and Braylee (Easter 2008)

Sisters!  (Spring 2008)

Who likes rolls?! (Early summer 2008)  She just grew out of the last of her creases (*tear*).

Aunt Karen & BK (August-ish 2008)

So Sweet!  (Summer 2008)

Love her smile!  (Early fall 2008)

Isn't she delicious?!  (October 2008)

I'm getting a little verklempt.  (October 2008)

Braylee with Uncle Mike and Aunt Michele  (December 2008)

Cast #1  (August 2009)

If you look closely, you can see the spunk oozing from her every pore. (October 2009)

The girl is not afraid of anything, I tell you!  (Even boa constrictors) November 2009

 

Braylee being Braylee  (February 2010)

Cast #2 and final.  (June 2010)

                           

Jumping from the toy box.  :)  Yesterday.

Braylee has been a joy in our lives.  She is sweet, thoughtful, caring, feisty, active, stubborn, happy, beautiful, smart, active, and the best thing about her is that she is ours!  We love that every day she comes into our room and says 'Hey guys, look outside, it's daytime' even if it's still dark outside.  We love that she has had a cast on each leg and still does not have a fear in the world of getting hurt.  We love that she has 50+ word run-on sentences when we are running late and just need to go.  We love that she can be very dependent and independent in the same 10 second time-span.  We love those big blue eyes that cry crocodile tears when she's really upset.  We love that she has a huge heart for babies and animals, she will make an excellent mommy one day.  We love that she is an adventurous eater and will try just about anything.  We love that she now says 'I'm free' meaning three.  We love her very dramatic facial expressions that make a story worth listening to.  And, we love those big lips that give really wet kisses goodbye and goodnight.  God has blessed us so richly with our two girls, and I can't believe that our baby is 3!?!   

I LOVE MY JOB!!!

I quit my job at Metro in December and now I'm a full time mom to two girls and 'Auntie' to two girls.  I L-O-V-E every minute that I get to watch these little girls grow and discover and laugh and learn.  This is what I was meant to do my whole life!  Here are a few pictures from just today:

P got some mini pans for Christmas from Grandma & Grandpa V...and we might have tried them out for the first time while she was in preschool.   B, C and I stirred up some homemade banana bread.

B thought she could eat the little one and I could eat the big one.

How can you not love looking at this face everyday?!

C thinking 'should I go in for the kill?'

The answer was 'yes'.  This was a totally unprompted picture.  S may or may not have been a teensy bit smothered today with love.

P felt she needed her time with S, too.

I just want to eat them all up.  They are all unique and SO much fun!!  My house may be a mess all the time, but I can't get enough because I know this age will be gone too fast...I'm so blessed!

Little Miss P-Frog

I LOVE this girl!!!!

But, I think she may have some hoarding tendencies.

What do you think?