Lovely autumn, delightful You...

Josephine, you are a delight at 3 years old. Constant energy, always wanting to play pretend (where you're the mommy and i'm the daughter, or Daddy's the prince and Jalen is your baby), never wanting to miss a party (you LOVE people - i can just see your little extroverted lightbulb come on when you find out we're having company). You had a blast at our first garage sale and made $2.50 there at your first lemonade stand with your buddy Sarah. People would come to the sale and you'd ask if they were thirsty. You also tried to sell them stuff they didn't need (like a giant box of plastic Easter eggs..) One of my favorite memories of you at 3 will be when I'd drop you off at preschool and you'd wave at me at the window (you do this with Daddy too). There's this window at Little Sprouts that looks out onto the path leading out of the school. Whenever we drop you off, we can see you through the window jumping up and down, waving, flashing "i love you" in sign language with your little fingers. You've become very independent -- insisting on helping to pick out baby brother's clothes and fresh diapers. You always point to my clothes and say, "Mommy, did you wear that to bed?" If I answer, "yes," you rush to my closet to pick out my outfit for the day too...You will often see something during the day that makes you curious and then much later you will bring it up and want to talk about it. It's usually about peoples' feelings. "Why was that lady crying?" or "Why was Nemo's daddy mad at him?" You're still a great eater. I make this new breakfast called "5 M&M oatmeal" -- oatmeal, milk, peanut butter with 5 M&M's hidden in it. You always ask for blue ones. You love it that you and daddy both like the color blue and you and he always play the "blue" game in the car -- pointing out every blue thing you can spot. We got rid of the little potty a few weeks ago and now you're all about the adult toilet and feeling very grown-up. You say when you're an adult you will be able to enjoy coffee, gum and wine (in moderation, as we've discussed several times...) Just this week, you've really picked up on writing your own name -- something we're very proud of. I can't bring myself to throw away ANYTHING that has your precious handwriting on it! There's a keepsake box filling up fast. One day you'll go through it and perhaps some fond memories will return. This weekend is Halloween and you've decided to be a nurse. You became fascinated by nurses during Jalen's baby check-ups. The nurse would leave the room and you'd pick up her clipboard, cross your legs and start asking questions about the baby's diet and sleeping habits. You enjoyed 2 pancake breakfasts in 2 weeks recently -- one at Leavenworth's First City Festival (which Gma and Gpa D help organize each year.) The other was a local festival in Mission where I took you and Jalen early one morning. You were in heaven 'cause you'd eat pancakes and sausage every day if you could! Last week we went to the Husker game in Lincoln and you and Jalen (J-Boy, as you call him) stayed with Aunt Julie and Great Grandma Seal. You had a blast and scored all sorts of fun treats and gifts -- even a cheerleading outfit and your first set of Husker pom-pons! (The Bradfords gave you some KU ones, which are at Grammi and Papa's, so you have your mom's alma mater covered too!) You still love your "sleep-overs" at Grandma Jeanne's and your visits to Marysville, where you spend lots of time outside with Papa. Our long walks with the stroller have ended, so we'll be snuggling in together during these chilly fall evenings. (You still ask almost daily to go to the park though. You just love to swing!) You continue to remind me to savor little everyday things like leaves falling, raindrops, kisses, playing Ariel and Ursula in the bathtub, finding unusual treasures outdoors, and cheering with all your might for football games even when you have no idea what's going on. You're thrilled to have your dad back home more since baseball season ended. You helped Grammi make and decorate a cake celebrating the last game of the season. We're still learning as we go with you. We've never done this parenting thing before, but your Daddy and I continue to ask our loving God for wisdom as we help to guide you through these early years of your life. Your mommy has been a perfectionist for far too long and you and Jalen are sure helping me get over that! We will never be perfect parents, but we will always love and support you as best we know how and we will point you toward your Creator who will be your constant companion throughout your life. We love you, Josephine Francis-Jean! Here's to a fun fall season with our precious 3-year-old girl.