Emma's Birthday or a Rocking Horse Named Lisa

Today is Emma's 3rd birthday, but due to schedules we celebrated last night. As you can see she got a rocking horse which she promptly named Lisa then Leah and back to Lisa again today.

My sweet little Emma is an amazing girl. She is our family comedian; due in part to her talking like Elmer Fudd. It seems like whenever I'm trying to be serious with her or Madilyn, Emma will say "pwetty pwease" or "but we weawly want to"(She seriously talks like that and how do you stay mad?). And laughs...well she has one that sounds like a baritone chipmunk.

I'll brag for a moment. She's a smarty. She knows all her letters and about half the sounds they make. She has started to sound out words with myself and Madilyn. She's very observant. You have to be careful of everything she sees and hears. She drew a very anatomically correct picture of Garrett a month after he was born. Yikes!

Unfortunately for her, she also seems to be our vulnerable child. If something is going to happen to anyone in our family its her. It started at age 3 months when she had an ear infection that eventually led to ear tubes at age 6 months . She's been to the emergency room twice, once for ear issues and another for choking on an apple. She's gotten pink eye and impetigo multiple times. She broke her leg before she turned 2 (that was my fault however), and after having ear tubes in for two year the holes in her ears didn't fill in so they had to be patched. Poor kid.

But Emma has taught me two important lessons through her happy and loving nature. Each morning (after she gets done screaming for me) she has to show me "the sun is out!" She finds joy in the sun each morning, a rock in the parking lot, and getting on her own socks and shoes. She reminds me to appreciate the world around me.

She doesn't always wake with a smile but her first thoughts are always to love. For example when we were at our ward camp out. Emma was still asleep but Jeremy had to go get breakfast started for the ward. Madilyn went with him and Garrett was still asleep in the van. I sat in the tent waiting for Emma to wake up. When she opened her eyes and saw me she didn't say a word but got up and gave me a big hug. She loves unconditionally with all her heart.

Ok no more serious life lessons. I tried to make a fancy cake. It didn't turn out too bad but the red squares were supposed to be polka dots but I think they look like pimples. But it doesn't matter Emma thought it was the "perfect" cake.

And really, Emma's cuteness aside, my favorite part of the evening was Philip. We had banana splits with the cake and Philip had a full bowl of chocolate, carmel, and strawberries, etc. He sat down to eat it and couldn't find the ice cream. I'm talking full bowl, no ice cream. Woops, that's some serious condiments.

I just threw this last one in cause she's cute.