My Baby is Three

I know she turned three four days ago, but how did our first baby go from this:

...to this:

...to this (wild hair and pink-icing-on-the-shirt alert!):

...to this:

 in just three short years?

I can't...but at the same time, I can...believe that she is three-years old.  The time flies, but this conversating (this is SO not a word, but I feel like it works, am I right?), opinionated, smart little girl is definitely not a baby anymore.  In honor of her third birthday, here are our three favorite things about Sydney Jo:

1. She is willing to try anything.  This little girl has no fear, and it's inspiring.  For example, most of the other parents in her dance class report that their children never want to go to class, but as soon they're in there they're okay.  Some little girls have to be carried in crying by the dance teachers.  (Sydney is the youngest in the class; I think the next youngest girl is four months older than Syd, but most of the little girls are already turning four.  I don't say that to brag; perhaps her young age and naivete put her at an advantage in this particular situation.)  But Sydney just saunters into the dance room with her little dance bag hitched up on her shoulder, giving the crying girls curious looks.  She also loves to talk to people; she's only shy if she's caught off guard.

2.  She's nurturing, which is evident in the way she takes care of her baby dolls and stuffed animals.  There's not a baby doll or stuffed animal on this earth that she doesn't immediately love.  There are dolls and animals "sleeping" all over our house (and they are usually swaddled in a blanket, sleeping on their bellies, ha!).  Sydney makes sure to remind us (by "shushing" us) that they are sleeping.  Yesterday afternoon she put her new Hello Kitty doll (thank you, Papa John!) to bed in the little wooden crib she got for her birthday.  We had to leave the house a few times for errands yesterday, and she reminded me in the car that Hello Kitty was sleeping in her crib, but that she would be ready to wake up once we returned home.  The first thing she did when we got home (each time) was run upstairs and check on her.

3. She has a great sense of humor.  She's extremely silly, which can get trying at times (y'all know what I'm talking about!), but I think it's a good trait, as long as we can teach her how to tame it over the years.  She recently started this thing where she smiles at me in this strange, closed-lipped way after I get on to her.  When I'm obviously perturbed, she just peers up at me with this ridiculous smile pasted on her face until I can't help but laugh (and sometimes it takes a while).  I have no idea where she got the idea to do that, but it sure is funny.

Happy birthday, sweet Sydney!  We love you!

(More birthday pictures to follow -- she received some wonderful cards and gifts that she just LOVES!)