Happy Birthday

Today is the Littlest's birthday. He's three! And I wonder if it's just my imagination or did he really wake up this morning a bit more mature, able to express himself a bit better?

This morning our dining room table was covered in his presents and he couldn't stand to wait one minute more to opne them so he ran to wake the sleeping big kids. Ma Fille immediately wrapped her arms around him and started singing 'happy birthday to you'. And when he climbed up onto the Middlest's top bunk to say, 'wake up' the Middlest replied, 'who's three today?'. Sometimes the kids fight and argue and screech at each other and it makes me feel tired. But when they do these pure, sweet things for each other it makes up for it all.

Now they're playing with the Baby's birthday loot; the favorite is a remote controlled train and track direct from the Beaux-Parents in Texas.

I've made our chocolate birthday cake already and it's cooling now, waiting to be iced with chocolate icing that contains an entire box of powdered sugar--Texas sheet cake all the way in France.

And as is my tradition, here are three things I love about the Littlest:

1) He brings energy into our family that fills it right up. 

2) He says 'kachow' and 'gotta get that' and pretends to eat things up with his dinosaurs.
3) We find the mouse together when we read Goodnight Moon and he acts surprised every time, 'there it is!'

and one to grow on:

4) His independence is both thrilling and terrifying.

We love you Littlest. Three will be your best year yet.