Happy Birthday Livi Lou!

Dear Livi,

Happy Birthday sweet girl!!!  I must admit your birthday was bittersweet this year.  It is such a joy to watch you grow up, but very hard on your mama to accept that her last baby is no longer a baby.  I know you will get tired of hearing me say, "you'll always be my baby", but you will.  I am so enjoying getting to watch your little personality develop.  You are such a spunky little girl and I pray that spunk is always a part of who you are.  You already show so much confidence and assertiveness...even at the young age of two!  Your poor brother is usually the recipient of said assertiveness, but as y'all get older, I think he too will appreciate that you are not afraid to stand up for yourself.  My favorite part of your unique little personality is that you are so spunky, but also the most loving little girl in the world.  You love to give hugs and are very spontaneous with showing your affection...which I adore!  When Daddy leaves for work in the morning, you yell "hug!" and insist on giving him two to three hugs before he can walk out the door! The other day Will got sent to his room and was crying and you went upstairs to be with him and even took him a book you know he likes!  I was truly blown away at your young ability to understand that Will was sad and you wanted to cheer him up!(I may have teared up watching you).

You are starting to talk a lot more and LOVE to make animal noises!  You point to everything and call it by name.  You say your name, "Iveeee" and you say Will's name as "Wool".  You push your whole little body into mine and yell "ROCK" while we are reading books, because you love to rock.  You still adore all things baby doll and are immediately drawn to any baby we see in public.  You love going to the playground and swinging and climbing ladders are your favorite activities as of late. You are still a great sleeper and are usually a great little eater!  If you don't want, or don't like, what is on your plate, you simply push it away and say "uh-uh!"  I must admit that "uh-uh" and "no" are probably your two favorite words.  You love milk and it's the first thing you ask for in the morning.   You can put your shoes on by yourself and insist on putting on your own bloomers.  You can take off all your own clothes and unfortunately do this with your pajamas!  You still love "bunny buns" and cannot sleep without her!

I can describe so much about you, but what I can't fully describe is how much love I have for you in my heart!  I love you to pieces "Angel Girl" and I cannot imagine our family without your precious smile and your contagious laughter!  I think I say this every time I write you, but I truly cannot thank God enough for the gifts I have in you and Will.  I want you to know that your brother ADORES you!  I know you may question this at times in your life if he continues to pick on you the way he does now, but I a want you to remember that he loves you so much.  Your big brother planned your birthday dinner and was so proud that he picked things he knew you would love:  princess cupcakes, princess plates, pizza and capri suns).  He even asked me to open his piggy bank so he could buy you a present with his very own money.  I took Will to Target last week while you were at moms morning out and he picked you out a gift all by himself and I wish you could have seen how proud he was giving the Target checkout girl a ziplock bag full of quarters!!!  He told me the whole way home, "Mama, I think Livi is going to love her present!"  My prayer for the two of you is that you are more than siblings, but rather that you're best friends.  I want y'all to cling to the fact that God made you siblings...and that he made you siblings for a reason.

Happy 2nd birthday Livi Lou!  I will quit writing you all my sentimental details, because I am sobbing as I write...but please know you are loved!!!

Love, Mama (4-16-16)