Three

Mira Joy,

Today you are three years old and the memories of your unforgettable arrival are still crystal clear. I will never forget what it feels like to hope so furiously, cry so desperately and love so deeply all in the same day.

While your birthday will always hold deep sentiment for our family and raw memories of the day you were born, today is no different than any other birthday for any other child. It’s a celebration of life. Every day—no matter who you are or what you may face in the future—is an opportunity to celebrate your life.

Today, on your 3rd birthday, we celebrate thousands of kisses, endless high fives and heart-stopping victories. We celebrate all of our adventures—on land, sea and sand.

We celebrate the little moments of every day- the joy that we feel in your smile when you first catch sight of us at preschool pick-up, your hair floating in curls on the surface of the water, the not so subtle pounding on your bedroom door every morning at 6am when you let us all know you are ready to take on the day.

We celebrate your favorites- messy spoonfuls of vanilla ice cream, bedtime dance parties with your sister, low tide and perfect rolling waves, flying high in your backyard swing, and singing—anywhere, at any time, in perfect pitch.

I hope you know how unbelievably beautiful you are; how valuable your existence; how full of joy these past three years have been with you.

And while this day represents so much more, really it’s about a little girl who entered our lives at exactly the right time. It’s about a sister who was wished for, a child like any other who just needed to be loved.

Oh, Mira Joy, how you are loved.

Today, I kissed those same delicious cheeks I kissed the moment your ten pounds were first placed in my arms. In the same ears I whispered my very first words to you three years ago…

 Happy birthday sweet girl, I love you.

Love,

Mommy