Love Letter to Everly | Four Years

... I love the way you always meet me at the door with the biggest smile, smooch and 'mommy's home' shriek!

... I love watching you go off to school in the past year, you have learned so much and have grown into such a big girl

... I love watching you handle moving to a foreign country like a champ; seriously no one has adapted better than you (excluding jet lag ;))

... I love watching you explore playgrounds; you are so so brave and nothing frightens you even the tallest of slides

... I love that you smile with your eyes - those big brown eyes sparkle when you are excited

... I love your slow approach to life; there is so much I can learn from you - the way you think before you speak, taking the time to stop and smell the flowers (every single one of them), always posing for a picture and taking your time to go through each and every item before making a decision

... I love the way you say, 'oh my goodness gracious'; there is so much personality that shines through when you say this phrase

... I love watching you play and interact with your stuffed animals; you love and adore your stuffed animals and you are almost never without one; while I don't think you have a true favorite lambie, Everly bear and Minnie seem to reign supreme

... I love snuggling up on the couch with you - you give the best snuggles

... I love watching you learn how to swim; it is so fun for me to watch you accomplish something that was at first so challenging for you (you used to not even like to put your head under water)

... I love your sweet demeanor - you are great at sharing, will make compromises most of the time and give the best compliments (you are always telling me what you want my work clothes when you are a grown up because I look so beautiful :))

... I love that you love to look at pictures of yourself (it is so sweet and I think this is why you typically have no problem having your picture taken)

... I love watching you with your daddy; you two are so sweet to each other (especially giving night time kisses)

... I love watching your coloring skills change so much over the past year - you went from scribble scrabble and never in the lines to drawing people and shapes and letters; I love to see your creativity shine through your artwork and you are always always always up for a craft

... I love that you dress up as Minnie Mouse every.single.day - I think it is so sweet and so 'you' that you choose Minnie over the other princess dresses that you have

... I love the way you grab my cheeks with both hands when you want to give me a serious kiss (typically morning kisses goodbye or nighttime kisses goodnight); I subsequently love when you tell me you can't feel my kiss any longer and come back for more

... I love the way you always smell of syrup. girly, you love you some syrup and you cannot help but to get it on your hands, in your hair, all over yourself

... I love when you play along with all of Emma's crazy ideas - you guys are pets, princesses, moms, babies- your imaginations go wild coming up with all kinds of fun ideas!

... I love your squishy cheeks, they are still baby soft and just so so kissable, I love to smooch you 100 times over every.single.day 

... I love that you adore your Papa George (while I think you adore all of your grandparents, I think you particularly adore him) and I love watching you two together

... I love your long brown hair - it is gorgeous (when maintained ;)) and I love the various ways you wear it, but most especially when you let me put it in piggies

... I love when you fall asleep on me; it immediately takes me back to the first 21 months of your life when your preferred method of sleeping was in my arms; the weight of you against me and your heavy breathing are intoxicating to my mama brain
... I love how when you flash your biggest smile, your cheek dimple shines through

Everly Gracie - we adore you, you are the perfect caboose to our family train and you are just so so sweet. We love you to the moon and back (and back and back and back) and thank our lucky stars every day that you are ours.  Happy fourth birthday, baby girl.