Emeline is 3 Years Old!

Dear Emeline,

Happy 3rd Birthday baby girl! You are made of pure joy, pure love and an unbreakable spirit. You are so full of life. Your energy and your smile are simply contagious. We've had the best time celebrating your spirit and the 'birbay' you have been anxiously awaiting the last 6 months as you have seen/helped me prepare for everyone else's birthday but yours. I hope all of your birthday wishes come true because you are certainly my wish come true. I love you 'way way more than you know' my 'EMEline' (that's how you say your name). 

When I look back at 3 year old Emeline, what will I want us to remember? The answer is...everything. I want to remember every silly saying, every I love you, every dance move, every squeal, the way you light up the room, they way you make everyone love you. I want to remember everything about you. And I want to learn from you.

This last year was a BIG year for you. It wasn't without it's bumps in the road, because you aren't you without them, but it was an INCREDIBLE year. Before I move into all the ways this year was so amazing, I have to tell you now (and you'll hear me say it) - you have a spitfire personality and I so admire your passion, but that also makes you a bit more difficult child to raise especially at such a young age when you feel so many things, but don't understand why or how to deal with those feelings. We are hopefully raising you in a way that does not squash that passion. I hope we are helping you foster those emotions and use them for good, because we know you are going to make one heck of an adult one day. You will move mountains - we just know it. And I hope you do too.

Back to the year (June 2014 - June 2015) I think we will all look back on as a favorite. Here are all the many amazin' (as you say) things I want us to remember:

• We celebrated your second birthday in Belize and you got your very first passport stamp. It was also Poppa's first trip abroad and we had such a great time. It's a trip I will always look back on with a huge smile on my face. I love nothing more than introducing you to new and exciting things. I guess it's what I live for - moments like that. Trips like that. Making memories with our family. 
• We lived on Winston Falls at the time and your best friend (outside of Mila of course) was Ben. You loved his brother Joe too, but in your words, 'Joe is sleeping'. He was always asleep in your mind. You three had so much fun together and we are thankful to have lived next door to a special family that will always hold a special place in our heart. You sure loved your 'Aunt Jenni'.
• This is the year that your love of books really took off. It was always my favorite time of day with you. Reading in your bed, book after book after book. Your favorite books are Love Ruby Valentine, I Love You So Much, shadow books, any holiday book, A Mother for Choco, I Had a Favorite Dress, The Napping House, A Visitor for Bear and so many more. 
• We visited your birth mom twice this year. One trip to the zoo and to Baskin Robbins where you shared ice cream with her (our favorite - rainbow sherbet). The next day we took you to your first theme park - Six Flags and your love for thrill and adventure started here. We ended our trip to Fort Worth with a trip to Coopers for peach ice cream on the way home. Later that year, we celebrated her sister's marriage. You were the sweetest flower girl, but you got a bit too shy to really perform your duties, so I walked down the aisle with you. You did dance the night away on the dance floor though. We made some memories we will never forget this night. Really, we were blessed to share this special time with your birth family. Most adoptive families don't get these moments. 
• You are a fish! You love the water. It really seems to bring you peace and calmness. Can we bottle that up for you?! You are taking swim lessons and are making progress, but you love the freedom of swimming about on your own in your puddle jumper. 
• We got your first fish 'Little Raine' named after mommy and daddy's fish Raine in college (he was our first pet together. We sufficiently killed Little Raine three weeks later. Still don't know how...
• We got your beloved Lilah (build a bear first bear) for your second birthday and she's the first stuffed animal you really have clung too. That and this bunny with a rattle in it. Daddy and I will never forget the rattle sound coming down our hallway (Lake Gardens house) as you came into our room in the middle of the night. 
• You love milk still. You might just not grow out of your love for milk. Every day starts out with a big glass of whole milk. And some days you get an mid afternoon treat too. 
• I took you to you very first circus with Ben and Joe and you only lasted for 45 minutes. I thought it was a total bust until you started talking about it the very next day and every day after for 6+ months. Every person you met, you simply said, 'circus?' before anything else as if to see if they liked the circus too before figuring out if you wanted to talk to them further. It was hilarious! 
• I also took you to your very first movie - Planes: Fire and Rescue. I thought you would love it since you love watching the planes pass over our house, but then again, you only lasted for half of it. This one you didn't talk about...
• We took you on your second trip to Beaver Creek. You will know that this trip is so special to me. We took you there at 10 weeks old and have gone every year at Labor Day since. Except that one year Daddy's boss made us cancel... There is something so magical and refreshing about being in the mountains with my family. We had our traditional VooDoo Donuts in the park upon arrival and we hiked to truly magical Beaver Lake as always. We also attended the always fun Oktoberfest where Mimi, Poppa, Noni and Pa met us there for a day. You'll know how special this trip is to me. Daddy even purchased a painting for me to always have the memory around. 
• The very next day after we landed at midnight from our Beaver Creek trip, you started your very first day of school. You loved Mrs. Stephanie and Mrs. Tiffany so, but you and Mrs. Stephanie really bonded. I felt at ease leaving you with someone who truly loved you for you. The spunky, spirited, silly you. You really thrived in school. I think I only received one bad report. I think you bit someone. Other than that, you are really truly sweet, caring, loving and kind to other children. I love this about you. Always concerned for their well being if they fall, get hurt, sad, mad, etc. You really thrived in your learning also. By week 2, (you were 2 years and 3 months) you mastered your ABC's. The same ABC's you I had been singing to you at nauseam for years. For almost a year, you sang LMNOPeas and I never had the heart to correct you. I loved it so. You mastered counting to 13, your colors and learning letter and number recognition too. 
• Right after Mommy and Daddy dropped you off on your first day of school, we went and closed on our second home together - Lake Gardens. That night we had a sushi picnic on the floor in our new home to celebrate. We moved to Kingwood just a mere 3 weeks later. This was such a special city to me. We only lived there for 10 months but Kingwood and our gorgeous home with such a peaceful backyard will always be dear to me. I loved our life there and you loved 'Eme's house' as you affectionately called it. We lived a very full life in that wonderful town and home in only 10 months. 
• On October 16th, God blessed us with the greatest gift - Giselle Laine Simpson. With just three days notice, you became a big sister and you fell in love with her instantly. The moment you met her brought me to my knees. It was a dream come true for me on so many levels to give you a sibling, but to be able to give you a sister and best friend for life means everything to me. You've been the sweetest big sister and she has helped you mature so much. She idolizes you and you are completely in love with her. I'm so proud of you both and the strength of your bond. It's been incredible to witness day in and day out. 
• Your sister's nickname was supposed to be 'Elle', but you gave her the name 'Selle' and it stuck. For better or for worse, it's her name in our home. She might not like you for this later, but I love that you named her. 
• Your favorite holiday this year was Halloween. We were a rag doll family and I have to admit, we were pretty darn cute. You were obsessed with all things scary, dressing up, the movies, the books, and the candy too of course. You loved it all! And we celebrated big in true mommy style. You know I love to celebrate holidays! I introduced you to Hocus Pocus and it's been a favorite movie since. 
• Your F's are pronounced as P's and your L's are pronounced as R's and your R's pronounced as W's. I can't correct you because I know one day very soon you can say all of your words correctly. I love when you say 'coppee' and 'goopy' among many others. 
• We celebrated your 3rd Christmas and it's was our best yet. New house, new baby and so many incredible memories. I'll never forget that day and holiday season with you. The magic I saw in your eyes will stay with me forever. It was this Christmas that you became smitten with Kevin McCalister and the movie Home Alone. You started acting out the bathroom scene which you affectionately call, 'shampoo, ahh!!'. We've laughed at this dozens of times and it doesn't get old. 
• We rang in the new year with you and you were fascinated with the 'sparkeys' and confetti filled count down you and I shared. We loved making you a part of our New Year celebrations. 2015 was the start of something special. Might just be our best year yet!
• You are resourceful I tell you. One day soon after we moved into Lake Gardens, you pushed your hamper all the way from your room to the fridge, climbed up, unlocked the lock, broke in and stole your beloved berries and bacon. Only after all this mess plus playing in sister's bottles did you yell for help. We knew then we were really in trouble with you. Plus, a few days later, you broke into sister's teething meds and ate the whole bottle. In came the door lock and the hallway gate. Fixed you right up! You really seemed to appreciate it and sleep better at night too. You were no longer staying up and dreaming of things you could get into while mommy and daddy were sleeping. 
• In 2015 we had the loveliest Valentine's day and sweetest Easter too. Daddy dressed up as the Easter bunny, you saw his arm pop out and the surprise was ruined. You shouted, 'it's daddy in the costume!'. You weren't even three yet and we screwed that one up... Hopefully you will forget... But if not, we've laughed about that day and moment so many times. It was worth it!
• On April 10th, Daddy quit the job he hated and accepted his dream job as CFO for Luxe Energy in Austin. It was the open door we've always dreamed of and the start of many new adventures. The first being able to enjoy Daddy home with us for three whole months as he waited the start of his new career. We found our dream house in Austin during this time, travelled to California, played at home with you two and took many a trip to Austin to plan out our new life there. It was so busy, but so nice to have Daddy home with us to experience it all with him. 
• On April 27th, we finalized your sister's adoption and she became your official sister forever and ever, amen. It was certainly one of the happiest days of our lives. Even for you!
• Shortly after we finalized Giselle's adoption she became your best friend and so did I. You proclaim every single day that, 'Mommy, Mimi and Selle are my best fwiends!'. I just love it. You are my best 'fwiend' too, but I'm still your mommy first. 
• And just like that, the year was over. You are three now. Three has been hard on my mommy's heart. I love watching you grown and experience life, but I down right hate how fast time is moving. I guess that's what motherhood is all about - nostalgia and grace. I've got the nostalgia part down, but grace on the other hand I take day by day. You thankfully give me lots of free passes and you love me no matter what. It's a beautiful thing your love for me. We celebrated you turning three by taking you and your sister to a night away in Galveston. We went to the beach on your last day as a two year old and had the best day. Afterward, we had dinner as a family and then we went to the hotel lounge and let you stay up way past your bedtime while we enjoyed listening to the pianist play Micky Mouse for you and we enjoyed a dessert together - you picked pie (our favorite!). It was the sweetest night. The next day you turned three! We started the morning with donuts, lots of Happy Birthday singing and presents. We then went down to the pool and spent hours there before heading to Mimi and Poppa's to celebrate with them. 
• The very next day, you had the most fun Farmer's Market party (inspired by your love of the farmer's market we went to in California) with all of your friends. We had a bounce house, a clown and lots of sweets and yummy food daddy made for us. It was a blast and I'm not sure how we'll top it next year. But you know me, I gotta try!

And here are some of your very favorite things in your third year of life - baking with me, playing in the sprinkler, movies, books, play dates with our friends, taking Oskar and George on walks, jumping on the trampoline Mimi and Poppa got you for your 2nd birthday, dresses and accessories, playing dress-up, Elmo, footprint art, picnics, nature walks, and your best fwiends - Weston, Ben and Joe, Mila and Luca, Sebastian, and McKinley.

Emeline, I want you to know how very much I love you. You, your sister and your daddy are the first thought I have when I wake up in the morning and the last thought I have before I shut my eyes at night. You three are my everything and I find such great purpose as wife and mother to you two. But you my love, are truly something special. You tell me you love me at least 20 times a day. Maybe more. Probably more. I find my greatest joy in surprising you and your sister and making this childhood of yours as magical as I possibly can. I might be ruining you for your future husband, but you know what, I'm also raising you to be truly grateful for it. You know how hard I work to make this life special for you and honestly, you make me feel so loved and treasured by you. All the ways you tell me 'thank you' and that I'm the, 'best mommy ever' make me feel more loved, more treasured and like you are more grateful for me than anyone else in my life. You have no idea how special you make me feel. Thank you for lifting me up and making me feel so very loved by you. You have the sweetest and kindest heart. I love you 'way way more than you know'. And I always will. 

Forever and always, 

Mommy, Daddy, 'Selle', Oskar and George