To my Tropical Flower Girl

Happy 3rd Birthday Sweetheart!!!! And even as I type this I can hear you saying "I not sweetheart, I Sam!"

It has been an absolute joy to watch you blossom the past 3 years!!! From the moment the Dr handed you to your daddy, I fell in love!! Every day that love grows and grows...some days I can hardly stand it my heart is so full with love for you and DJ (and Daddy! and yes, Jacob too!) but you get the picture!!

Today, you woke up nice and early, and within minutes of going out to the living room you came stomping back to me and said "there's letters in there!!!" I asked you to repeat what you said and you explained "There's letters on the wall in there" and I knew what you were speaking of. You see, you can't read yet, but it says Happy Birthday...and when I told you that, you said "oh thank you mummy!" and gave me a hug. So from the very first moment of your birthday you're full of sass and love!!!

Since Daddy had to work today, I got us all ready for church and out the door...not quite on time, but we made it!!!! You were very excited to share your cupcakes with the kids in your class...and I heard everyone enjoyed them! The chocolate marks on your pretty birthday dress tell me you did too!

After church we headed home to get party prep done for everyone coming over. Daddy was already home from work and had bought 3 helium balloons just for you!! A princess one, a Tinkerbell one, and one that is shaped like a crown with Princess written on it....he did a good job picking them out! Your exclamations were awesome too!!!

Everyone arrived a little before 2 and you were wired for sound with all the attention! So we sat down to eat, and enjoyed a lovely pizza lunch! Thanks to DiGiorno, it was free!!! Even better!!! I made your favourite kind too...cheese and olives! After eating we decided to let you open presents before getting to cake.

You started with our presents and ripped right thru them...getting books, shoes, clothes, bath stuff, a puzzle, books, a snow globe, a jewelry box with a butterfly necklace in it, and one more we saved to the end. Then you opened the Gott's gift, a bubble machine gun, and two new Dora games!!! From Grandma and Poppa you got a Princess hopscotch game. And from Grandpa and Ellen, you got your first Nordstroms box...won't lie, it made Mummy a lil jealous! You got a gorgeous skirt and top in purple/lime and I can't wait to see it on you! And you got some Hello Kitty earrings!!! The last gift was an American Heritage doll. Her name is Chloe and when you lay her down, she closes her eyes....you like making her take a nap! lol But the gift you went gaga over was the jewelry box with its spinning ballerina as it plays music. Just like one that Mummy had as a little girl. I still have it too!

Once all the presents were opened, we got down to the business of cake!! You got cupcakes with pink and purple sprinkles, and Daddy got a sugar free cake with sugar free icing (It was okay...) and loved it as we all sang Happy Birthday to you! Took you a bit to blow your candles out...I think they were too far away really, but I helped ya out. :)

After cake was consumed the Kinect got turned on and the big kids enjoyed that while you enjoyed playing your new memory Dora game with your cousins, and then hopscotch, and then, and then, and then. It was like you had present ADD, so PADD...oh I crack myself up sometimes!!!  About 4:30 everyone left and we took  you and DJ out for walk in the sunshine. Dinner was informal as we were still pretty full from the late lunch.

I can't believe I put a 3 year old girl to bed tonite...its bittersweet watching you grow up. You're such a sweet darling little girl, that I can only imagine the kind of teenager you'll be, and even further on, what kind of woman you'll be, or wife, or mom...the list goes on. I can't wait to watch you grow up, but at the same time, please be my little girl for a little while longer...okay? Your hugs and kisses are just the sweetest!! I've grown to like the random kisses you bestow on my cheek just because you feel like it. I pray they never stop!

I love you Samantha JoyAnn...forever and always!!!

Til next time...God bless!