My nephew Emmett turns three today!

I watched my nephew come into the world 3 years ago. I remember that he was 2 weeks late and apparently so comfortable that he didn’t want to be born because labor took all day. I remember the look on Bet’s face when she realized she had a boy and his tiny hand grabbing at her necklace pendant while she held him.

Since then he’s continued to do things his own way, from the way he puts on a bike helmet:

To the faces he makes:

He also made a very specific list of birthday present requests and then repeated it every 5 minutes for the past 48 hours to make sure we didn’t forget:

1. iPod
2. Phone
3. Purse

Who can argue with a list like that?

For Emmett on his 3^rd birthday:
I wish you a year filled with trucks and purses (and purses big enough to hold your trucks). May you always find rocks to shovel and bikes to ride and dogs to chase. I hope you get a handful of electronics that beep and flash and show pretty pictures when you push buttons but I hope you don’t ruin your mama’s new phone in your enthusiasm.
Mostly, I hope the sun always comes out for you and that you never grow too old to run wild through the house saying “I’m so happy, Mama! I’m so happy!”
I love you, Monster.
XOX Auntie Kaitlyn (or, in your words, Atti Katin)