Happy 1/2 Birthday Elyse Ann!

I'm not sure how it's possible that our little Toot has gone from a crinkly-nosed grinning, drooly mouthed, 6 month old...

 

 

to a beautiful young lady who amazes us each & every day. 

 

This girl made me a momma for the first time, and made her Daddy & I question what we ever did with our time before we became parents. 

 

This girl tries our patience, but loves us in such unconditional ways that it's incredibly hard to stay frustrated for long. 

 

This girl loves her princesses.  All of them.  But Cinderella is definitely her favorite, and I'm perfectly ok with that. 

 

This girl has taught us that some battles are worth fighting, and sometimes it's ok to stay up past normal bedtime to play tag in the house or chase bubbles outside or splash a little longer in the bath tub. 

 

This girl hates to be dirty, and is the true definition of a princess. 

 

This girl manages to steal my heart over & over again.  And I just keep letting her take it and I never want it back. 

 

This girl loves her friends.  All of them.  She is so sensitive when it comes to their happiness (unless it means playing with one of her most beloved toys). 

 

This girl teaches about Jesus.  She teaches about him with her quick forgiveness and love, her mercy & grace when we screw up, and her ability to dance through life without a care in the world. 

 

This girl is hilarious. Her imagination runs wild from one end of the spectrum to the other and a day doesn't go by that she doesn't have us all in a fit of giggles over something she has sad or done. 

 

This girl is dramatic.  As all little girls are.  And while it pushes my buttons and at times makes me so tired...I wouldn't change it for the world.  I hope she always has that much passion for the things in life that truly matter. 

 

This girl loves her sister to the moon and back.  I pray that their relationship only continues to grow as we move through life and that they become and remain the best of friends.  Even through the hard times. 

Elyse Ann,

Thank you.  Thank you for teaching your momma to step back from the seriousness of life and embrace a quick game of hide & seek.  Thank you for being dazzled by the simple things that come each day & for reminding me how precious every detail is.  Thank you for being the biggest princess of all, and for loving us in ways that I never imagined were possible.  Thank you for being an amazing big sister, keep teaching Nora and showing her how to love so passionately.  Thank you for being you.  For being kind & smart & funny & compassionate & supportive & encouraging, even when you don't realize you're doing all of those things. 

I love you little toot! 

Momma