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Dear Adrienne--Today you are three. Or, excuse me, "fwee". You are so delighted at the idea of finally being "fwee", because to you it means you are "big like Jillian". I have thought a lot about this, and I have decided that this is it--this is the moment in time I want to freeze forever with you. I love you so intensely as you are right now, this new "fwee" year old who is still my snuggly little baby. You know I love this snuggly feature of yours, because every time you hug me you proclaim, "Mom, I am so snuggly" with a look of serious pride. You are the perfect mix of big and little for me. Big enough to have ideas and thoughts about everything and to assert your independence in ways I find totally amusing, yet little enough to still need me. To still want me. To still prefer me. This morning you got up before Jillian, and your eyes opened with surprise as I wished you happy birthday, for you must have forgotten overnight how special this day would be. You sauntered downstairs with me, holding my hand as you always do, and then you just sat and snuggled with me for a very long time. You hugged me. You kissed me. You smiled at me. You told me you loved me. When I asked you what you wanted to do today, your reply was simple: "Um...eat cake". I am sure your birthday requests won't always be so easily granted. This will be a big year for you. You will head off to preschool soon, where you will make lots of new friends and gain new knowledge about the world. Yet, we will still have plenty of time to run our "ewwands" (errands) together as we usually do. You are my errand buddy, and you love to remind me how skilled you are at this by saying, "Mom I am weally helping you out today" as you put things in the cart, or ride along happily as I push. You know how to turn my heart to mush with your smile, with your hugs where you pat me as you hold me close, and with that sweet little kiss that you insist on planting directly on my lips. You are  a treasure, a blessing, a gift to our family. Your silly sense of humor is just the icing on the cake. Happy Birthday, Adrienne Elizabeth. Cheers to being "fwee"! xoxo Mommy

Our first serious snuggle time

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