Day 2,462

The Birthday Girl is Two!

Two years with this most precious ball of fire! Yes, precious and fire in the same sentence. Ah, I just love her. 

With the week as hectic as it’s been, Ella Mae’s birthday snuck up on us in a hurry. Thankfully, there is such thing as Instacart, which delivered her two balloons in bed and all the rest of the supplies needed to make a homemade birthday cake. She was happy as any girl could be on her birthday. 

And cuter than ever. 

But without many friends in this neck of the woods, celebrating with a bunch of kiddies was mostly out of the picture. And so we did the next best thing and gave her a park picnic family party. 

And it was so much fun. 

Except for when it wasn’t. 

(Don’t worry, she’s fine)

We laughed and played and swung and spun and climbed. We chased birds and lizards and ate PB&Js. 

Every single one of them also fell. And I managed to capture them all. 

My little mighty princess, what a joy you are.

The dynamic she brings to our family is irreplaceable and I’m so thankful the Lord chose her specifically for us. She’s fierce and brave and sweet and gentle. She’s wild and timid and obnoxious and thoughtful. From one extreme to the other, she’s the one who keeps us on our toes. Just like her Mommy. 

And that’s the reason Daddy loves her so much. She’s me in toddler form. From the way she looks to the way she acts, she’s a spitting image of her Mama, which makes her so easy to love while also making her so easy to get frustrated with!! 

She’s the one who will cuddle all day next to you, but steal the covers and she’ll scream in objection. The one who’ll caress your pregnant belly and then suddenly leap on top of it without warning. 

Our rainbow baby fascinates us. She’s incredibly smart and maybe even knows more than Amelia did at this age. Being the youngest hasn’t held her back at all but instead has challenged her to keep up with the big kids. 

And keep up she does. She sings countless songs. She can pray actual prayers. She mimics Amelia’s ballet moves. She hunts and plays guns with Bearett. Swims in the pool. Eats all her food. Brushes her teeth. Speaks in full sentences. Colors. Goes potty on the toilet. Makes coffee with me every morning. Holds the baby. Cleans up toys. Builds legos. Asks, “How you doin!?” And constantly says, “I do it!!” She tells jokes and then laughs at them - her most often is, “Jack Jack poo poo! Hahaha!” She thinks Jack Jack (Morgan’s dog) going poop is apparently hilarious. 

She loves big bows just like her sister. Eating (Fruity) Pebbles with Daddy. Baseball in real life AND on tv. She likes bubbles in the bath. Long walks in her stroller. Baby dolls. Suckers. Chocolate. Bunnies. Getting her way. Gruffalo. And watching the Mother Goose Clubs “Hop like a bunny,” song. 

She also absolutely loves her siblings and plays alongside and with them all day long. 

It’s the cutest thing ever. 

She’s so easy to love. 

This girl y’all. 

She melts me. 

She makes me crazy. 

My sanctification and my smile all wrapped into one beautifully adorable package. She’s got sass as much as anyone I know. And sweetness that’ll gobble you up. 

She just has a way of making you so happy. 

Your best bud. 

And your right hand (wo)man. 

She’ll follow. She’ll lead. She’ll obey instantly and then disobey just as quickly. 

She’s one of a kind.

And I can’t get enough of her. 

Sad will be the day when she no longer nurses. When she sleeps the whole night in her own bed. When her kisses aren’t constant and when she understands that you don’t say “welcome” after you say “thank you.” When she no longer wants you to help her brush her teeth while singing Itsy Bitsy Spider, changing her mind halfway through to ABCs, then changing it again to Orca Whale and then to Hop and then to Twinkle, Twinkle. When she knows that snails don’t actually make the “ick” sound. And when spanking Daddy’s butt isn’t funny or appropriate anymore. When finding hidden stashes of dirty diapers behind the door is no longer a problem. Actually, I won’t miss that. 

Though I’ll miss these precious days when she’s older, I truly look forward to knowing and loving the woman she’ll become. 

We finished off her birthday celebration with a trip to the field, where friends sang happy birthday to her and ate that homemade (box) funfetti cake. 

She got to sit in special seats in the seventh inning. 

And watch her Daddy run onto the field and throw fast fastballs. 



It was perfect and fun and crazy and satisfying, just like she is. 

I love you unlike any other, Ella Mae. What a blessing you are to me, to Daddy, to your siblings, and to anyone who knows you. You make me so happy. 

Happy birthday MaeMae. Maters. Sackey. Fat Kate. Bubbies. Tank. You’re so much personality, one name isn’t enough to contain you all!!