Scarlett, age 3

Happy Birthday, my beautiful Scarlett. 

This is the last picture of us as a family, with you at age 2.

This morning you woke up early like usual, 6:15 or so, and drowsy.  You look bigger to me; taller, and you were using bigger words.  I cuddled with you and then I asked, do you know why today is special?  You yawned and said it's your birthday, unimpressed.  But after a smoothie and some ungrumping, things came alive.  You had a whirlwind of a day, and I'm so glad.  We made banana pancakes with grandma and aunt and cousin.  We opened presents here and there, but never all at once.

Then we went to the Vancouver library, and we probably could have spent the entire morning there.  You found a frog, Lumpy, on the librarian's desk and carried him around the whole time.  We told you that you don't have to nap on your birthday, when in fact there just wasn't time for a nap, what with all the running around.  We went to Hope's school for a poetry festival, but you still can't sit still for long and mostly you played on the playground.  We went home and you read books on a bed of blankets and pillows, sitting next to your grandma.  You played with Grandma a lot, board games and pretending to be each other's pillows.  We ate sushi for dinner, and chocolate cake.  You were a great sport.

Now, you and Hope are asleep in the guest bedroom.  You're having a birthday slumber party, like big kids, because now you are three.

Some people love the baby phase best, and I understand a little.  It was nice to hold you all the time and nurse you and carry you everywhere.  But I like this age better.  Because now, you like to give me hugs and kisses, and you're eager to climb onto my lap for a story.  You wrap your arms around my neck and squeeze so hard.  You love thoroughly and outwardly.

New things:

• Sleeping with your blanket over head.  Sometimes your pillow and several blankets.
• Playing 'Going to Chicago', in which you pack everything you can onto the couch- friends, board games, buckets, anything- and pretend you are flying to visit Grandma & Grandpa.
• Playing dress-up
• "He will be mad about anything we put on him.  Not too mad, but a little mad." -dressing up her puppet in a hat and scarf
• Board games.  Luckily, we have some new ones, because we were getting a little tired of the same two games, four times a day.
• Gymnastics class.  You didn't tell me much about it, other than 'I sat on a green star'.

Happy Birthday to our best little valentine.
Emily