Dear Niah,

Dear Niah,


   Happy Birthday lil'girl! You know, you're the best late birthday present I ever got!?  A little over three years ago we got a pink onesie in the mail and I thought, "A girl?" (Your grandma-ma, has me brain washed that lil boys are where it's at!) Turns out lil girls are pretty awesome! Here's the first picture I ever got of you, it was love at first sight!   


  I love that you're a lil' sassy and a lot headstrong at times.  It makes me think there's a lil'bit of me in there.

Like when you're telling us when and where to sit and your mama says from the other room, "Niah, what do we say?" And you whisper, "I not say please."

I love how when you FaceTime me you have to show me your shoes. Although you're pretty terrible with the camera and I never really see them, you always let me know if they're sparkly or pink or if you really wanted to wear your sandals, but your mama said, No, something about snow! I love all the costumes and the importance of just the right pajamas!



I love it that you have your daddy wrapped around your lil finger, but you know mama isn't going to budge so you don't even bother, you just move on to Mimi, or a Papa, or a Bess, because we're easy marks! Your ability to work the system  yet always listen to your mama tells me you're pretty smart!

I love watching you on the monitor after they've put you to bed! It's my favorite show! You talk and sing and read and play with your one allotted toy! One day I hope you'll be able to explain to me why you insist on only choosing hard toys, like one high heel shoe or a plastic lantern rather than a cuddly doll or stuffed animal.

I love it that you love to pray and the serious look you get when you pray the sweetest most sincere prayers. And that when I'm sick you always pray and say, "Amen. Feel better??" The answer is always yes, because who wouldn't feel better after such a sweet prayer?!


I love it that you're a little clumsy, but still daring, and a bit dramatic like your Bess. And that chocolate chips or whatever candy can be found cures most all your ails. I hope it always works that way!

I love your confidence and that we never have to wonder what you want or what you're thinking.

 For awhile I was afraid you were going to be a push over, you inherited your mother's sweet spirit and when Kyah, who inherited her mother's (cough) spirit, would literally push you over as a baby, you would cry and say, Hug Kyah, Hug! They tried to train you to say No, and as long as Kyah wasn't around you could wander around the house and say, "No Kyah! No!" But then she'd get there and take your toy and you'd just let her & hug her! I thought, "Oh no! She's gonna be a lover, not a fighter!" ha! Turns out you're just a perfect balance of both and you still love hugs from Kyah, but she better run if she takes your toy! I love to watch the two of you play! You two are my favorite work out! Of course after you've both gone to bed, I can just watch your mamas interact and it's the same show!


I love how excited you get about little things and how you love to laugh and sing really, really loud, adding your own lines here and there! I'm pretty sure American Idol isn't in our future, but I'm not ruling out Project Runway or Top Chef.  You're a pretty extraordinary lil girl and God has HUGE plans for your life and I plan to cheer you on every step of the way no matter what they are! 

You're worth the dramamine I have to take to FaceTime with you even if you get the biggest kick out of hanging up on me! You're absolutely precious and I wouldn't trade you for the world. I hope you have the a wonderful birthday! I'll make sure we celebrate when I get there with CAKE of course! (It's how I get her to sit by me! :)) Bess loves you so, so much! Hugs and Kisses and more of the same!