Autumn is 3!

There is a unique ache when your baby, your youngest, has birthdays.  While we celebrate our little sweetie's three years of blessed life, we also grieve a little bit for the end of a stage.  The baby stage? Gone and now the toddler stage is fading into memory.  She's a little girl now, full of spunk and personality.  Autumn Mae, you hold a special spot in our family.  You will always be OUR baby, meaning not just mine and daddy's, but Emma's and Chloe's and Sawyer's too.  Emma says all the time, "I'm so glad I have Autumn for my sister, it's so fun to be older with a baby sister".  Chloe carries you around and entertains you with make believe every waking hour you're together.  You like to play that you're the princess and she's your maid or your dog... and those roles aren't too far from the truth little Noot!  Sawyer has a precious affection for you, a protective love that melts my heart to see.  The other day, you were throwing a fit because you didn't want to walk up the stairs by the grocery store.  I was holding two heavy bags of groceries and you were having a lazy moment.  Your brother came to your rescue by insisting that you needed help and he would hold your hand.  You beamed as he helped you up and then you continued to hold hands all the way to the bus stop.  Sawyer doesn't kiss many of us regularly, he's a bit afraid of germs, but he can't kiss your head enough:).  You had your third birthday in the Swiss Alps, lucky girl!  You may not remember much of our time here, but we are having so much fun exploring this beautiful country together.  You are the sunshine (and a bit of patience testing) to my days.  I think God knew how much your affectionate love language would minister to my heart, we share that love language sweet girl!  You hug my neck with passion and say, "I love you so much my sweetie mom!"  Or "you smell so cute my sweetie mom!"  My heart really breaks for those who never in this life time get to know the joy of the love between mother and child, it is truly a gift.  To my sweet little last arrow (with pink feathers and a wiggly dance), I thank God for the blessing of you!  Happy birthday Mootie!

 (This is what we call the "feed the children" shot, LOL!)

(Does this not look a lot like me at this age, to anyone who knew me then?)