Dear Leila,

The day after tomorrow is your 3rd birthday. For me the past 3 years have validated the saying, "time flies when you're having fun." I never could have imagined just how much FUN you would bring into my life!

Every day your little personality comes out more and more. You sure are one funny little girl! At night when I check to see if you're asleep, usually I will find you in bed singing quietly. Last night it was "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" over and over again, except that instead of "boat" you would say one of your cousins names (Row, Row, Row your Macy/Brody/Destin/Kayton). You bring a smile to my face even when you don't realize it!

Leila, you are such a mini-me! From your sheer goofiness to your shy demeanor when we're somewhere new... you are momma's girl through and through. However, I think I was more of a tomboy than you. You love all things girly - pink, baby dolls, bows, dresses. You fulfill all of my childhood fantasies of having a real daughter to play dress up with! I wouldn't trade you for all of the chocolate covered gummy bears in the world.

The other night as I was tucking you into bed and you had your arms wrapped tightly around my neck you said, "Mommy I love you... and I like you a lot." You had never told me that you "liked" me before and it meant so much to me! I know you will always love me, but I only hope you continue to like me - especially through the teen years. I know I will always "like" you.

Thank you for teaching me how to be a mommy and showing me what unconditional love is all about. You will never know the true depth of my love for you... that is, until you have a daughter of your own (but you're only turning 3, so let's not go there). I love you to the moon and back and forth and back again. Even when you're 30, you will always be my little princess.

XOXO,

Mommy

On your "birth" day (07/08/09)...


Your 1st birthday...


Your 2nd birthday...


Almost THREE!


I can't wait to see what the future holds for you baby girl!

My Boys

I am grateful to have some fabulous gentlemen in my life. Boys, here's what I have to say to you...



To my wonderful Hubby...
Thank you for loving me unconditionally - for accepting my controlling tendencies, my mood swings, & my laziness. Thanks for cooking delicious food for me, for helping to keep the house clean, & for bringing home the bacon. You rock my world. I love that you are the best daddy I could have ever imagined to our children. I love EVERY thing about you.



To my darling Landon Drew...
My little chubby-wubkins! You make mommy so proud. I've only really known you for 5 months, but I can't imagine life without you. I love your smell, your rolls, your giggles, your snuggles, and the way your ENTIRE face lights up when you smile. You are my little ray of light in a sometimes very dark world. And if you figure out how to sleep better, I'll love you even more!



My first born, my Billy dog...
I love you Billy Dee! I'm sorry that your life has changed so much since Leila & Landon came along. You are the BEST dog in the world. But, you are more than just a dog to me. I love how you keep my feet warm at night. I love how you can sense when I'm sad and you smother me in kisses. I love your playful behavior...how it comes out once the kiddos go to bed. I hope you can always feel my love, even if I don't always have the time to show it.

LOVE,

Wifey/Mommy Ariel

Dear Leila,

To my Little Princess...

It's so hard for me to believe that exactly 2 years ago your daddy and I were getting ready to head to the hospital to meet you for the first time. It really feels like it was only yesterday that you were in my belly all safe and warm. Time sure does fly when you are having fun!

You have given my life meaning and I can't even remember how I lived without you. I thank God every day for blessing me with you. You are the sweetest, gentlest, kindest, funniest, smartest little girl I ever could have imagined having in my life. Your daddy and I are so proud of you already!

We are so excited to celebrate your 2nd birthday tomorrow! I love that you are also excited and can't stop talking about the cake and icecream we will have (and your cousins Macy, Brody, & Destin being there). You are so cute!

It has been our pleasure and honor to watch you grow over the past 2 years from a squirmy little infant into a beautiful little girl.  WE LOVE YOU!

Love,

Mommy

















Thank you Facebook! If I hadn't uploaded all of these old Leila pics to Facebook, I wouldn't be able to look back on them today. We still haven't been able to retrieve any photos off our broken hard drive. :-(