“Little girls, like butterflies, need no excuse.” -Robert A. Heinlein

A week ago we celebrated our sweet Cora Kinsey turning 3. She requested a birthday celebration at one of our local apple ranches, Covers, with a few friends & family. It was super simple & turned out being what she wanted, minus a few friends & some family who couldn’t make it. We had snacks & she got to say hi & feed the animals, we all took turns pushing her on the swings which are still one of her absolute favorite things in the universe & we all sang to her. She blew out her big 3 candle & got to eat her requested chocolate cupcakes with sprinkles & strawberries & drink apple juice from Covers. All week long she kept going back & forth between sprinkles & strawberries so we ended up just doing both. Easy peasy.

After that, the whole crew took a ride on the train, she opened a few presents & then the kiddos ran around playing some more. She got some purple butterfly wings which she ran around wearing along with a new soft monkey that she didn’t want to set down at all. It was the cutest. Dada did both her & Eliana’s hair in a ponytail with a single braid, so they matched & as requested Cora wore her “spinny” dress. It was a day with perfect weather, we were practically the only ones there & I would say that Cora’s heart was full. What more could you ask for? 🙂 She is so loved.

One of my favorite memories from that day was after all the fun, Cora wanted to eat more of her cake, so she sat on Papa’s lap & ate every single strawberry slice off of it along with a good helping of the cake itself. She was so content, safe in Papa’s arms & covered in chocolate frosting with her purple wings on. A perfect picture of 3 years old.

“She is my joy and my heart’s delight.” -Robert Wever

For Cora’s actual birthday, we blew up a bunch of balloons & left them in her room to be discovered when she woke up that morning as a three year old! We all took turns singing to her throughout the day, I’m pretty sure Eliana sang at least 25 times. Both Noah & I were at work that day (it was Wednesday) so sweet Cora & her siblings got to spend the day with Momo celebrating until we got home. One of her favorite places to be these days is at our good friends house with her buddies Shua, DD & Jonathan. They are “cousins” pretty much by any definition of that word. So, what better then to play with friends & even get to go swimming in their amazing pool! It was her first swim of the year which was pretty neat. After I got off of work & once she was up from her nap I took her to go pick out a birthday balloon. Even getting to ride in the Corolla instead of our van was a treat! She picked a Frozen balloon & a squirt gun as well. From there we went to pick up her choice of ice-cream (her favorite dessert) as well as some birthday cereal which is another family tradition. She picked straight up chocolate ice-cream, watermelon & chocolate Chex cereal. My shopping cart was full of sweetness. From there we went home, had Momo & Papa & Auntie Isa over for her birthday dinner. Her choice of dinner = Macaroni & Cheese. We also had watermelon. We sang to her again, she blew out a candle on top of her ice-cream & she opened a few gifts. It was a super simple, perfect way to end her birthday. I just love her so stinking much!

“Her smile beams like sunshine, which fills our hearts with love.” -Unknown

Dearest Cora,

Oh my sweet girl! Mama loves you so. I am so happy you are mine & I am yours! Today, you are three years old! I can’t believe it. You are a true delight. It has been such a treat getting to watch you grow & change & learn this past year, you being two has been one of my favorites, so I am looking forward to all that you being three brings! The way that you play, read, imagine, dance, sing, create art, laugh, run, do jumping jacks & yoga poses, build, eat olives, ride your bike, play in water, love baths & go on family walks. How you love on Gypsy, pick up spiders & bugs, love riding in Dada’s truck, eating ice cream, watching Moana, telling us stories about Jesus, asking questions, holding the corner of your blankie, all of your favorite stuffed animals, sleep with your head tilted over in your carseat & run around the sanctuary after church. The way you help us bake, sing while you clean up, comfort your Brother, love Dada playing guitar, ask me to hold you & carry you up & down the stairs, your sweet dimple & amazing smile, your big beautiful eyes, the way you love wearing your spinny dress, picking out berets & hair clips, always wanting to be outside & always loving to swing. How you run around the house with your sister pretending, playing hide and go seek, love Daniel Tiger, always choosing King of my heart for family worship, quietly playing by yourself, helping feed Sebastian, loving macaroni and cheese, always wanting to go to Kansas City to visit our cousins or take trips & staying in hotels, love being at Momo & Papa’s house, picking blueberries in the spring & blackberries in the fall & wearing footie jammies or “nightnouns”. The way you say things, the way you pray, how you love so fiercely, how you wake up with your hair all wavy & sweaty from your usually 3 hour naps, the way you pick me flowers & find me rocks, the way you water the garden, how you laugh with your mouth wide open when we tickle you, the fact that your 2 year old molars are still coming in, how Dada calls you Little C & the way you love a routine & never let us forget lotion or chapstick at nighttime. How tender you are, how much of an encourager you are, how absolutely amazing you are. The beauty of your soul shines out & you are a huggable warm ray of sunshine. I love how little you are, that I can fold you up in my arms & hold you so close. I love that you still lay your head on my shoulder & that you love being held. The things I love about you sweet girl are seemingly endless. You are such a gift to us! You are our miracle baby. You are our rainbow baby. You are LIFE ABIDING IN THE KINGS VICTORY. Every, single day. There is no one in the whole wide world just like you Sissy. I am in awe of who you are & am so excited to see what being three brings. You are powerful, you are strong, you are beautiful. You are an atmosphere shifter & a Kingdom bringer. You speak life & bring life to the world around you. Cora Kinsey, you love well & fill our lives with SO much JOY. I am so grateful that the King of Kings entrusted you to us & I know that this next year is going to be incredible, because you are incredible. Eliana & Sebastian have the best sister ever & Dada & I are so proud of who you are & who are you growing up to be. Keep shining bright little love! Happiest Birthday to you Peanut. I love you to the moon & the stars & back over & over again. XOXO

With all my heart,

Your Mama.

“A toddling little girl is a centre of common feeling which makes the most dissimilar people understand each other.” -George Eliot

 

Cheers,

Katie.