Birthday letter to Adelia: three!

My beautiful Adelia~

Yesterday you walked through my bedroom and stopped to look at yourself in our full-length mirror. Then you headed out the door into the hallway. I called, "Hey! What were you looking at in mama's mirror?" and you returned to say, very matter-of-factly, and with a slight *you-caught-me* grin: "My pretty hair." (Which was in it's full glory~ no beads or braids.) That's my girl.

I just love you so much, Adelia. You are the most spirited, lively, confident, sassy, stubborn, exuberant, busy, loud, expressive, vibrant, mischievous little girl I've ever known. I want to remember you, right now-- who you are right now~ just days away from being three years old.

You are a girl who knows what she wants, and you are not afraid to express it-- and loudly.

You like books (Owl Babies, anything Maisy, and that naughty little monkey Curious George). And when you read books, you'll often pop your finger into your mouth repeatedly, then pull it out noisily and slurpily~ all so that you can have a wet finger to turn the next page.

You like food- (mmm hmmm is still something we hear, constantly, from you when you're eating a meal). You like to be loud and boisterous-- running and chasing and shrieking and laughing through the rooms of this old house. You love to sing, and do so constantly (lately we hear a lot of the ABC song and various worship songs, as well as a hearty rendition of Go Tell it On the Mountain.) You love to watch movies. Your favorites are Miss Pattycake, Signing Time, and Maisy. But you'll watch anything, and happily.

When you sleep, you still chew on the hands of your baby and pull the blankets over your head. And you snore. Recently, Mark and I have been startled awake by Audra hollering in the middle of the night: "Don't DO THAT!" At first we were puzzled, then we figured out that she must be getting awakened by your snoring. ;)

You won't sit still for longer than 3 seconds. I am so not exaggerating that fact. Unlike your siblings, you do not sit and play anything. You will sit for a book, but you are constantly moving and talking and turning the pages back to talk about something you just saw or to ask me a question.

You like to make silly faces at me when daddy reads at bedtime. I indulge, because it keeps you quiet(ish). You make a face, then I make that face back, and we copy each others' silly faces.

You are affectionate-- when you feel like it ;), but I can always get silly about it or make it a game and get a hug or kiss out of you.

You are a sweet big sister to Audra. Oh, how you adore that girl! :) You are so sweet with her~ your words to her are gentle and kind, and you share so well with her. I love your friendship with your sister. (And I love how you've recently taken to calling her "sweetie"!)

You want to be in on everything the big kids are doing-- helping with chores, doing school and memorizing verses. I love that.

You are a trouble-maker, you. You move from one spot to another, all day long, doing whatever you should NOT do in that particular area of the house. If you happen to walk into the boys' room and you see that Isaac has carefully ordered some baseball cards, all in neat stacks across the floor, you will make it your personal mission to run through the middle of the piles and kick your feet wildly so as to make the most of your mess. If anyone has built any sort of creation (Legos or otherwise), you take it upon yourself to destruct it, and quickly- before anyone should stop you. If someone has colored a pretty picture, you must color on top of it, or rip it up, and quickly- so that you can get the deed done before you get found out. If you are left alone for longer than a minute, I know I can find you hiding somewhere with food, or getting into Ella's chapstick or filling up the bathroom sink to overflowing with water, or pushing Isaias' buttons, or- destructing or disassembling something, somewhere.

So you keep me busy, keeping up with all your messes and correcting you. We talk a lot about kindness and gentleness and love.

I love it that when people ask you what your name is, you tell them "Adelia Hope." No first-name-only basis for you.

You have a confidence that I love. Your brothers and sisters are shy around new people or situations, and you are just... not. You jump into any conversation, boldly telling about everyone and everything. You are willing to try new things, and you do so with remarkable determination.

You say the funniest things- and you love to make your older siblings laugh. If you say something funny (accidentally), and find that it amused everyone, you work hard to keep them laughing at you.

I just love you so much, my Adelia Hope. I cannot wait to see how God develops these lively characteristics in you for His glory!

Happy Birthday to my beautiful three-year old girl.

Love,

~Your mommy