Happy 3rd Birthday Aria

I adoringly watched Aria sleep this morning. A mess of braided blond curls, a tangle of sheets, three pillows. I slowly opened the blinds and pulled back the curtains. Groaning inside because these actions reminded me of my Dad's morning torment in middle-school, I did my best to gently wake my birthday girl. Setting aside pillows and pulling back the curtains I attempted some soft motherly coos, she rolled over, grunted and curled up in a ball. Undaunted and still high on love I said sweet sentiments about her special day, her favorite breakfast, a pizza party at school, pink cupcakes...she only clamped her eyes down harder and told me, "No."

I fetched her clothes and started pulling off jammies. As I turned to address Roland she angrily pulled her pants back on with one hand. Next came the verbal protests that for her birthday she wanted to keep sleeping. "Just let me sleep!" And then we started fussing back and forth about breakfast. I got Roland to lure her out of bed with the curiosity of what he could see downstairs. Descending the stairs with her on my back she finally saw all the decorations and exclaimed, "It's MY birthday!" And then the party started.

If it sounded like I was waking a teenager you're not wrong to assume. Most days Aria is a teenager, in a 40 pound body with a fraction of the vocabulary but all the attitude and sass. And I love it. Today that sass took center stage and had a wonderful day. A fun breakfast, finger puppets from Nana, pizza party at school, strawberry cupcakes with pink icing and pink sprinkles, a card from Gordon, Skype's with family, sweet phone calls from friends. Simple gifts and fun experiences.

Aria is a force: she is extremely strong. Strong physicially, strong mentally, strong willed, strong in just about anything she does which includes the gauntlet of fighting, crying, laughing, loving, etc. And it is awesome. We enjoy her strength the most these days in hugs. Aria gives fierce, time-stopping, heart-exploding hugs - when you can get one. What does year three hold for our sweet little sassy-pants? More challenges for us, more testing from her, and tons more fun. Happy 3rd birthday, Aria Lucinda.