Happy 3rd B-day, sweet J!

Little Miss J,

Where do we even begin?! You've got so much personality, it's easy to forget that you're just turning three. And every day, you develop more and more. It's happening so fast, it's hard to capture this amazing time, but we're going to take a shot at some of the highlights of who you are at this very moment.

+You're incredibly loving and give, objectively, the BEST hugs. It feels like a bite of the best, warm chocolate for our souls. You squeeze and press cheek-to-cheek and squeal, "You're the best, ever!" And we melt. (side note: when you figure out that this combo will get you your way 99% more often than a tantrum, it's going to be expensive for us).

+You're a great sister. Seeing you and E as best friends is an indescribable warm feeling that results  from you're "hug walks" to you playing babies together to you figuring out whether to watch Caillou (your favorite) or PJ Masks (his). There are squabbles, for sure, but that's also part of learning to be close to another human being and you both show every indication of being masters at relationships long before we were.

+You're helpful. Daddy wants to get a cleaning service, but don't think we will because you love to help scrub the toilet and fold laundry. And who is he to smack a gift horse in the mouth?

+You're likely going to be a superb athlete, if you want to be. At gymnastics, when they let you "wall stand" for as long as you could (basically, a handstand using your feet on the wall for balance), they had to tell you to stop after hitting 75 seconds -- and the next closest kid in the class tapped out at 60 seconds. Also, looks like you've got the potential to be a great dancer too...you've got a budding love for it and natural inclination.

+You're a goofball. And it's hilarious.

+You're a natural with dogs. Seeing how excited you get to pet Bailey or hug him or give him a check up, shows another facet of your extremely loving nature. And, boy, does that dog love you back.

+You're probably going to be a project manager, like us. Case study: we went to the Morgan Hill YMCA toddler water slide area and you launched into, "I will go first. Then you will go with E, and then I will go with Nana. And then, you will go again, and...[continues for a good 15 combinations]." And the scariest, most telling part is that you remembered the order and would correct us if we strayed.

+You're considerate. It's so sweet when, at the dinner table every night, you ask us each in turn, "How was your day?" or when you're concerned when one of us is sick and say, "But who will take care of them?"

+Your're very articulate. Most people cannot believe how well you speak for your age and they're right. We'd like to pretend that this is because you have some super well-spoken family around you. In truth, it's more likely that you figured out early on that the better you can communicate your wants, the more frequently you get your way.

+You're determined. Extremely determined. This is a trait that we admire so much. As with all strong traits, at times it can be used for good (already able to put on your own shoes) or other times not-as-much (you're absolute, blanket refusal to eat any raw fruit). You really are the perfect little girl as long as we're all doing exactly what you want us to. The experts say that you're just supposed to let a temper tantrum fizzle out...those experts haven't met you when you don't want to get your jammies on.

Want to know what's the most amazing thing? That in the next year, you're only going to get more personality. For that reason, it's nearly impossible to imagine and equally as exciting to imagine our letter to you next year.

We love you so, so, so much, Sweet J.
Mommy & Daddy