Tiny Tumbler

Remember last year, when Kate went to her very first ballet class?  Well we stuck it out for a whole year, and while I think she had a lot of fun, ballet was definitely not her thing.  Not to say that she was BAD at it.  Ballet just takes a lot of controlled movement, and Kate was not ready for that at all.  The girl likes to MOVE.  So this year, we signed her up for an acro/tumbling class.  Today was her very first class.... and I think we have a winner.

First up, was the outfit...

I bought the little leotard earlier this week at Target.  On Monday, I made the rookie mistake of letting Kate try it on right before bed.  Needless to say, she did not want to take it off, and it became her pajamas for the night.

So today (Thursday) she was pumped to be able to wear her outfit again.  So pumped, in fact, that she wore it all day long.  I tried to snap a few quick pictures before we drove to her class, but she wasn't really into it. She was pretty distracted from the butterflies that were all around her.

I was able to get a few once she went into her class. I walked her in, then quickly dropped her off and went into the parent's waiting area to watch the class on a TV screen.

She loved it.  They bounced on a little trampoline, played with hulu hoops, walked on a balance beam, practiced front rolls, and more.  Definitely a good choice for an active little girl, who never wants to sit still. She was already asking about next week, so I'm pretty sure that means she likes it.

Guess she is no longer our tiny ballerina.  She's now our tiny tumbler! 

Seven.

Today I am celebrating SEVEN great years married to my favorite person ever, my best friend, my husband.  I love you, Kevin, and I'm looking forward to the many more years to come! Happy anniversary!

Three.

I feel like it was just yesterday that Kevin and I were walking into a hospital in Raleigh, NC to meet our daughter.

Today this sweet girl turns three.

Three, y'all - THREE!

That whole saying "the days are long but the years are short" is so very true.  Some days seem to last for-ev-er. (Get the Sandlot reference??)  Then I blink my eyes and it has been 6 months.  Blink again and it has been a year.  Is this what happens the older you get?  Does time somehow speed up.  How have three years gone by without me even realizing it. 

She's definitely not a baby.  Not really even a toddler anymore.  By her own definition - she is a "big girl".

Though it does make me a little sad to realize we'll never have those baby stages with this certain little girl again, I look at her and am so proud of the smart, independent, creative, hilarious "big girl" that she has already become. 

There is NO TELLING what the next few years have in store for us.  It's probably best that we can't foresee the future, or we might be nervous about what is to come!  With her outgoing and fearless personality, not to mention her current lack of self-control, I can already imagine the future notes from her teachers, the bumps and bruises, and OH, the drama!  But, along with all of that will come lots of laughter, memories that we would never consider changing, and stories that will be shared for years to come.

This girl makes us laugh every single day and yes, occasionally cry!  From the moment we found out about her right up until today - the past 3 years have been an adventure.

And it has been the best adventure ever.  

Happy birthday, Kate!  We love you.  And to quote from one of my favorite movies (which came out on the DAY you were born- August 10, 2011):

You is kind...

You is smart..

You is important...