She's Three!

The big day has arrived! Although I tried my best, I couldn't stop time and keep her two forever.

The birthday girl enjoying her birthday donuts this morning!

Three years ago today our sweet Allison was born! What a blessing to our family she is! I was positive that she was a boy, but God knew exactly what he was doing by sending us this little girl. I can't imagine our life without Allison's silly sense of humor and sweet, carefree spirit. She and Lauryn are inseparable. She makes our family complete! I can hardly get through these pictures without crying...here are a few from the day she was born. It honestly seems like yesterday!

Holding her and cuddling for the first time, coming out of the OR

Lauryn was excited, but also pretty unsure...she was just a little over two...a baby herself!Grandma brought her back the next day for another visit...still not sure what to think!
This will forever be one of my favorite pictures. This was the day we brought Allie home from the hospital.
On her first birthday!

Second birthday!

I have to say, "three" gets a lot of bad publicity. It's a rough age in some ways, but it's also one of my favorite stages. Vocabulary is exploding, independence is emerging, and the sense of humor is definitely coming out! Allison can make us laugh in a heartbeat!

She has so many "Allie-isms" right now that I don't want to forget!

*She says "banklet" instead of blanket and I LOVE it!

*When we get ice cream she asks for a squirrel. (swirl)

*She loves flip flops. She begs to wear them every day.

*Being outside is one of her favorite things. If you ask her where her favorite place to go is, she'll tell you it's "Six Flags".

*She's into "what ifs". She is constantly saying, "It would be funny if...".

For example, "It would be funny if I ate my napkin." "It would be funny if I was this tall (standing on a chair)."

*She loves to change the words to songs to make a "joke". Right now it's with Frosty the Snowman.
The original: "Frosty the Snowman knew the sun was hot that day. So he waved goodbye, saying don't you cry, I'll be back again someday!"
Allie's version: "Frosty the Snowman knew the sun was hot that day. So he waved goodbye, saying don't you cry, I'll be back...IN JUST A SECOND!!!!" (followed by fits of giggles)

*Her giggles! Oh, my...her laugh is utterly contagious. You absolutely can NOT help yourself from giggling right along when she gets started. It's one of those can't-catch-your-breath laughs. Thankfully it happens often (usually when she and Lauryn are playing together).

*She still doesn't care for much for meat except on a sandwich from Firehouse Subs (her favorite restaurant).

*She likes most fruit, broccoli, carrots with ranch, bananas with peanut butter, milk, any form of bread, and anything with sugar.

*Doll House, My Little Pony, Dolls, Stuffed Animals, and dress up are her most favorite things to play.

*She loves to be read to, but doesn't really have an interest in letters and sounds! She'd rather be running around playing than listening to me teach her about letters!

*Random-ness is synonymous with Allie. She loves to throw out random vocabulary. She also loves to make a joke. So lately she has combined the two. She will, at random, say, "What does compliment mean? Compliment means...a key-lock!"

I know...I don't get it either. Not even close. But it sends her and Lauryn into fits of laughter.

*She makes the best facial expressions.

*She pretends to be asleep when she wakes up from her nap. It's a new game she invented. I will come into her room and she quickly shuts her eyes. When she thinks I'm not looking, she'll open one eye really slowly, just to see if I'm still there. If I am, she snaps it back shut!

I could go on, but I probably should tend to the birthday girl in the other room. She's requested Firehouse Subs for lunch and I'm happy to oblige. I just had to take a minute and share some of the things we love about our three year old girl. We are incredibly blessed!

Happy Birthday, Allie!

*Sorry for the spacing (or lack of)...I can't get it to work.)