Love this girl

I have to take a minute to write a bit about my growing little girl.  So many fun/cute/crazy/gross things she's done lately, I found myself scrambling for pen and paper, knowing I will soon forget the details of these days.  

For starters, she's reading in her bed right now, A House is a House for Me.  Flipping through the pages, reciting the words she remembers, chatting about the pictures.  In a few minutes (hopefully) she'll curl up with Baby Sophie, making sure everyone is adequately covered up with blankets, and drift off to sleep.  

Or, like yesterday, she'll boycott nap time, roll around on the floor, stare at me like a martian in the video monitor, holler "MAMAAAAA" a hundred times, and kick at the gate on her door until she finally tastes freedom.  Uh huh.  

She is certainly discovering her own desires.

On to some funnier happenings that inspired this post... like booger chicken.  

We had lunch on the go at Walmart last week.  Popcorn chicken.  Finishing up her tasty snack, she holds up a finger with what appears to be breading from the chicken and licks it clean.  

Mmm, a piece of chicken!  I say.

No, mama.  A piece of booger.  *Insert big cheesy grin*

(Good thing she didn't offer to share!)

Onward in Walmart she pulls a Wick air freshener off the shelf.  I told her that we already have candles that make our house smell good.  

I asked her, What does our house smell like?

And in this matter of fact, confident way she usually replies, she says, Walk in Water!

(Hopefully our house doesn't smell like the lake... but at least she knows where we live!)

I found her opening and closing the utility closet door yesterday.  

What are you doing? 

Just checking the kombucha!

Really, people, I can't make this stuff up!

And by far, the cutest, most memorable words that come out of her mouth are loving and encouraging words that you just can't believe are exiting the lips of a 3 year old.  Things like, Mama, let's pray if she hears of someone being sick.  Or It's okay, mama, take a deep breath...  God will take care of you when she senses that I'm overwhelmed or sad.  She rubs her hands on my head and around my shoulders when she hugs me at night.  She has such a nurturing spirit, and I believe, the gift of exhortation. 

I'm the luckiest mom alive.  I really feel that way.