3 years old!

Dear Lizzie,

Ten years ago mommy and daddy were married and we couldn't wait for the day we would have children to share our lives with. I had such a strong desire to have a child…someone to hold and rock and read stories to. I couldn’t wait for the opportunity to have a little one grow inside of me and to experience the new birth of a little one. But that wasn't the plan. Instead of growing inside of me, you grew in my heart for seven very long years and I had no idea how you were going to make it here. But I knew you were out there and you would find a way. Then you came. Three years ago. It was through the sacrifice of another woman who carried you for nine months and brought you from Heaven and then placed you “our angel” into our arms. What a joyous day! That day you joined our family. I experienced a birth that not many get to experience. I felt you kick in HER tummy. I was able to see you move around on the screen in the doctor’s office, and I was right there waiting for you the day you were born. I was able to be the first one in the nursery with you when they brought you in crying. And I was the first to have you wrap your little finger around mine. You filled my heart with so much love and lifted my despair. I knew from that moment that you were my daughter that Heavenly Father had promised me. My eyes filled with tears as I yearned to hold you, but knew I couldn’t at that moment because of your complications during birth. I knew there would be plenty of opportunities for that. So I stuck by your side while the nurses helped you. Dad and I came back several times during your stay at the hospital. You would stick your tongue out and dad and I would just laugh. Then the day finally came when we would bring you home. When bringing you home from the hospital I just kept looking at you and couldn’t believe I really had a baby daughter. I remember you began to cry and so we pulled over in a parking lot and changed you because you had filled your diaper. That was 3 years ago and now look at you. Before we know it you will be grown and on your way to school. I feel so honored that Heavenly Father had a plan for you and that I was part of that plan. I am so blessed to be your mother. I look forward to each day that we spend together and the sweet spirit that you bring into our family. You keep me laughing and smiling. You keep me young and on my toes daily. I have learned a lot about being a mother and I hope I will teach you all the right things with patience and understanding. I love the way you dance and twirl and how you love to go outside and eat popsicles on the step with me. I love that you will let me hold you and read stories to you and have girl time with one another. I pray every day that I will be the mother you need. I am so proud of you and for your kindness and sweetness to others. You always say please and thank you. And people love you more than you can imagine. You are truly an angel sent from above. I love you and Happy Birthday!

Love, Mom
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For Lizzie's birthday this year we had several parties. We started the celebrations by having a little birthday party with a few of her friends on the Saturday morning before her birthday. She loves Tinkerbell and she loves playing tea party. So we decided we would have a little tea party where she didn't have to pretend this time. We set up the table with her little teapot and tea cups. We also did little tinkerbell party favors with tinkerbell fruit snacks, pixie sticks, tablets, fairy wands, and candy. And then the cupcakes had tinkerbell plastic rings on top of them. Lizzie was so excited all morning. She dressed up in her fairy wings and tutu and waited for her friends to arrive. Her first friend to arrive was our neighbor Hanna. She is quite a lot older than Lizzie but these two are great buds. Lizzie is a little sister for Hanna and Hanna is the big sister for Lizzie. They get along so well. While waiting for her other friends to arrive these 2 danced around and ate pretzels.

Once all the little girls arrived (Kambria, Haylee, and Maddie) we had the little tea party. We had finger foods for them to eat and water for them to drink with flavored ice cubes in the shape of a flower. Talk about fun and entertaining for all of us. It was so cute how they would fill their little tea cups and drink. I told Hanna she reminded me of the movie "ELF" because she was so much bigger than all the other girls and she stood right out. She is such a good sport and was a lot help at the party.

After they ate we played a game. Instead of pin the tail on the donkey we did pin the star on the wand. This was so fun for Lizzie. She just wanted to play it again and again. Even after her friends left the party she wanted to try it again.

Then Lizzie got to open her presents. It is so funny how all the girls get so excited for this part. They loved seeing what was in each package and they love to tell you over and over what they got her. So cute! She was definitely spoiled.

Before the girls went home we took the wands from their party favor and decorated them. They added stickers and jewels and glitter and all the sparkle to their new fairy wands.

What an enjoyable birthday. It was such a fun party to plan and I think all the girls had a great time. Thanks Lizzie for being my daughter and for letting me be your mother. I love you!

On Saturday afternoon we met Grandma and Grandpa Bennett at the Park in Preston. We had some lunch together and a cupcake to celebrate. Grandma brought Lizzie a birthday card with some money in it. She was very excited and couldn't wait to get it home to put it in her bank.

Then Sunday I baked her birthday cake and decorated it the best I could with a Tinkerbell. She of course licked the beaters when I finished. This picture just cracks me up because she fell off the neighbor's swing the day before her party and scratched up her nose. It started to bleed on top again so she insisted that she wear the bandaid to church all day. So if you look closely you can see it across her nose.And then this scowling picture she was mad at me because I wouldn't let her EAT the cake yet.

Sunday evening we had a party for family and a few of our friends. Grandma and Grandpa Poulsen came and Blake and Kim with their 2 girls. We missed the rest that couldn't make it. We just opened presents and had cake and ice-cream and then let the girls play while the rest of us visited for awhile.

Her daddy got her a Grace grizzly sweatshirt. She wanted to put it on immediately. Then she got some littlest pets, a stuffed bear, a tinkerbell backpack, a barbie movie, magnetic dolls, and a mermaid doll for the bathtub.

Spoiled for sure! Why not...it is her birthday. Thanks to everyone! She loved all of her presents. And thanks for all the birthday wishes and celebrating it with us.