Dear Sprout,
3 years ago today, we welcomed you into our family of four and became a family of five. You have been the brightest star in our family and have brought countless joys and smiles to your father and me and your sisters too!
I think I may have been so busy when your sisters were little because there were two of them at once, that I missed some of the wonderful little baby things. I am so glad I had the experience with you - to take care of you, nurse you, rock you, and hold only you. You were a very good baby and we wondered if you would ever cry because you rarely ever were sad.
You share your birthday with my oldest sister, your Aunt, who is in heaven. I sometimes wonder if that makes your grandmother sad because I miss my sister terribly and I know she does too. But I think you have brought back a visible celebration to this day that I know my sister enjoys with you. I always feel her in my heart and I know that our smiles on your birthday (and hers) would make her very happy.
I don't really have words to describe how much I have enjoyed being your Mom Sprout. Maybe having my "Mom" confidence from having twins first helped me to enjoy you more as an infant and now as a toddler. But there is something about you. I love my life so much more with you and your sisters in it. Before you were even conceived, I knew you were out there. I dreamed about you so many nights. I couldn't wait to meet you. But I knew you were out there waiting to come to our family. Your Dad knew it too. We talked about you a lot, for years before you ever came to our family.
I love how funny you are. How you make us laugh when you try to act like your sisters. When you fake laugh because you hear them laughing and it makes us all laugh even harder because you are forcing this funny fake laugh. I love when you say grace at dinner time with your hands folded and your pointy finger out and you say, "thank you God for this and this and this and this and that and that and this. Amen" as you point to everything on your plate and then around the table to your Dad and I and your sisters.
I wish I could keep you little forever because this has truly been one of the most precious moments in my life. With all 3 of my girls around, I can't help but be so incredibly thankful for my life here on earth. Your birth, sweet Sprout, is a gift from heaven. My love for you reaches to heaven and back.
Your hair twirling, thumb sucking ways has all of us wrapped around your finger. There isn't much we ever say no to when it comes to you - you're too cute and too sweet and too lovable. Who could ever refuse you? (although we do at times and you scold us terribly...which just makes all of us, including your sisters give in. I'm sure we may regret that someday but for now, it just makes us smile).
Today is your birthday. The day I became the mother of 3 wonderful little girls. 20 minutes after you were born, I asked if I could go home because I really was feeling quite fine and just wanted to take you home. They made me stay exactly 24 hours...and then your Daddy packed you up and took us both home on a warm sunny Spring day where your grandparents and sisters were waiting for you. (Your sisters were REALLY excited because they knew I had some "baby's homecoming gifts for THEM" and they couldn't wait to open their gifts!) 
On Easter Sunday, we celebrated your 3rd birthday with cousins and Aunts and Uncles and your grandparents. You got a really cool Dora the Explorer bike that you squealed in delight when you saw it. And I thought about how Easter, how we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus and the gift we were all given in that moment, a promise of everlasting life. What better gift could we ever receive.
Happy Birthday sweet Sprout. I love you all the way to heaven and back, infinity.
xoxo,
Momma