Happy Birthday, Marci!

Seeing is believing, and yet it's still hard to believe that Marci is three years old! We debated about having a birthday party for her this year, but she was so excited about celebrating her birthday that we couldn't let her down. She picked out her invitations (princess, of course!) and carried the extra ones around in her purse for weeks while persistently asking about the arrival of her big day.

The past year has had its ups and downs with potty-training and little-girl dramatics at the top of the list! Marci has a willfulness that gives me nearly equal bouts of pride and frustration. While I deeply admire her persistence, her tenacity can be a bit challenging to parent at times, but I think Daddy and I are starting to get the hang of it. After a battle of wills that seemed to endure for eternity while we were in its midst, Marci is now fully potty-trained. It was truly a family project, and Osten was ever-ready to offer demonstrations and encouragement.

We are so proud of Marci. Even at three, she is kind, confident, inquisitive, persistent, sassy, brave, determined, funny and intelligent. Her laughter is one of my most favorite sounds in the whole world especially when she is being tickled under her neck. She likes to sing and read books in her bed. She loves the color pink, Annie, Chitty-Chitty Bang Bang, Mary Poppins, purses, kitty cats and princesses. Aurora is her favorite. She will try just about anything especially if it's something her older brother can already do. She loves to swing and is working really hard to learn how to pump her legs. (By the way, is there anything cuter than a child learning to pump their legs on a swing? I never realized how much coordination was required!) In the past year, her vocabulary has exploded so much that it's hard to remember a time when she wasn't able to have full conversations with us. It's been especially fun to watch the bond between her and Osten strengthen this year. I love to listen to their conversations when we're in the car or other times when we're at home and they forget that I'm in the room. Marci is such a blessing to our family, and even when we have difficult days, I never forget how lucky we are to be her parents. Happy 3rd Birthday, Marci. We can't wait to see all of the surprises, adventures and achievements the next year has in store for you! We love you . . . so, so, so, so, SUPER much!