Happy Birthday Sweet Avery Grace

Sitting here, watching my little 3 year old little princess play, I can't help but wonder where the time has gone (and regret not capturing every moment of the last year on video)! I'm trying to be really happy because I'm sure it's completely normal that she has a birthday and gets older, but there is also the fact that I'm on the verge of tears because I just want this to slow down. I guess the only thing there is to do is savor every moment. Soak it in. And most definitely, pull out the Flip cam every chance I get!

We have a fun day planned full of carousels and cupcakes (her favorite things). And tomorrow will be the big birthday bash with lots of family and friends. Celebrating another year of a healthy, gorgeous little miracle that has captured my heart in ways I didn't know were possible.

I thought this would be a good day to remember some of the things that we absolutely love about her and that she loves to do!

• I love all the mini things around the house, that will disappear in years to come. Mini panties and toothbrushes and socks and such. 
• I love it when she starts giggling about something silly, which makes me laugh, which makes her REALLY laugh (a deep, contagious, belly laugh) so I start really laughing until we're both laughing so hard at each other that I'm crying!
• I love that she embraces being a big girl. And constantly says things like "Mama, I not Elmo. I Big Girl!"
• I love that she has a newfound love for Dr. K and always wants us to be her patients. I love that right now, she only remembers when Dr. K tickled her at her last visit so she constantly says "Mama, Dr. Kafar so silly, he tickle me!"
• I love her ever expanding vocabulary and how words sound when she first starts to use them. (for example, boy = Bo-iiii
• I love having tea parties w/ Avery and Nora (her doll) and Snowball (her kitty) and Fat Boy (her daddy's name for her baby boy doll who is rather heavy and large).
• I love that she thinks ANYTHING that doesn't work the way she wants "needs batta-ies" (batteries).
• I love that out of the blue she says, "Mama, I lud (love) you too!"
• I love a million little things and I could sit here and type for a year about the cute little things she does!
• I love that she chooses certain rooms in the house to be 'her house' or 'the mall'. She says, "Let's go to the mall" and leads me with her hand into some random room and says "Tada, the mall!"

Avery loves...

• Cupcakes
• Kitties (and all animals!)
• Tea Parties
• Blowing Feathers
• Dr. "Kafar" (this is seriously her response sometimes, when I ask her who she loves)
• Max and Ruby
• Olivia
• Chicken Nuggets
• Playing house
• Playing hide n seek
• Riding on daddy's back around the house
• Playing dress up
• Playing w/ flash cards and puzzles and reading books
• Tracing my hand and drawing Gigi

Avery knows her primary colors, can count from 1-12, knows some of her shapes (circle, square, triangle), and many words. She is so proud of the things she knows, and I am so proud of her!

I can honestly say I want nothing more out of life than to raise her to become a healthy, happy, God-seeking young woman. I can't wait to see what this year holds for my precious 3 YEAR OLD! Happy Birthday, sweet Avery Grace!