3 years.

emma kate turned 3 years old today... three. years. old.

i can't believe it. 3 sounds so - old! well, not old, i guess... but it definitely does not sound like a sweet baby girl. i don't think we can say that we're the parents of a toddler. doesn't 3 qualify a kid as a "preschooler?"

we love the little girl that our emma is becoming. she is such a joy. and when i think back on the last 3 years, its hard to believe that the tiny baby we held on october 5, 2006 is the same child that we kissed goodnight, tonight, in 2009.

here is a little timeline of emma's life in pictures:

our sweet baby girl, right after she was born:
thursday, october 5, 2006
6:34 pm
7 pounds, 12 ounces
21.75 inches

emma kate, after we brought her home from the hospital. so tiny & sweet! (i wonder what she's dreaming about...)




















6 months old
april 2007


















9 months old
july 2007
(look at those little toothies!)


















our princess on her 1st birthday!
october 5, 2007


















18 months old
april 2008
(changing so much, already!)




















at her 2nd birthday party!
october 5, 2008




















our fairy princess at her 3rd birthday party!
october 2009... three years later.














she is our biggest joy in life. we love her more than we can ever say. it actually physically hurts when i think about how much i love her... i just can't put it into words.

it has been so amazing to get to see glimpses of God's love for me as my Heavenly Father, through my love for emma as her mother. i love how He has used my role as a parent to reveal Himself to me over and over again.


i thank my God for blessing me with my beautiful daughter.

what did we do 3 years ago, before emma was here? it's crazy to think about...

i cannot imagine my life without her.