Dear Sweet Lou:

Tomorrow you will be THREE!  What a year you have had!

I remember being young and laughing at the old people talking about how much “time flies”  You won’t understand it until you carry your own babies to bed, but those crazy old people are right.  Those old people also talked about the “terrible twos”, well girl, it has been terrific!

Yes, you are a spitfire, and you have the temper of your namesake, your great-grandmother Hilda May, but you also have her deep capacity of tremendous love.  Your “twos” weren’t a walk in the park, you moved and had a new baby sister, that is hard on anyone, let alone a two year old.  You cried for days about missing our old house but you were soon seeing ghosts in our new home, ghosts that make you feel safe and loved.

You also grew in inches (you’ve always been so tall) and your vocabulary exploded, oh the things you say amaze us sweet girl!  You are so in touch with your feelings and you make sure everyone knows where they stand with you!  Sometimes it is hard to remember you are just two, you seem like you came into the world knowing how to do so many things.

You are so strong, brave, and beautiful.  I hope you continue to squeal as you chase after Canton.  That you remember your sparkly bed decked out in Minnie Mouse everything, covered with all your “guys”.  Don’t forget about your pink owls that you carry every where you go or how you have to have your bed lined up just so each morning or how your owls and Dory have to come with you on every car trip.  We won’t forget carrying you to bed and watching you turn over “butts up” that’s how we knew you’d be out until morning as you let out the quietest and most dainty snore.  Continue to dress up as Sofia (ya-ya) and throw your pixie dust with Izzy as you make rocketships with Canton and answer “stayin’ home” as your favorite thing to do.  Keep fixing your animals as you sing Doc McStuffins.  Keep laughing your silly laugh and always stand on your bed each day to tell yourself you are beautiful.

I’ll probably cry as I sing “skinamarinky dinky dink I love LOU” tonight but that’s only because I have so many wonderful memories of your last year.  I can’t wait to see how you grow in the years to come, but also want to make time stop and hold on just a little longer.

Me and LOU and LOU and me, no matter how they toss the dice it had to be, the only one for me is LOU and LOU for me! So happy together!

We love you!