* I’ve been meaning to do this post for a while, but with switching over to the new blog I just didn’t want to have to do the same post twice. So here it goes!

Dear Lauren,

Today you are turning 4!  Even though it might not seem like it at times, but we love you for your quirkiness, independence, and determination.  You’ve always given us a run for our money as parents ever since you were a baby. I still remember when you were about 3 months old; every night, at 3AM, you would want to get up, get fed, and play. You would be wide awake for a few hours before you started dozing off. Yes, we remember EVERYTHING.

I also still remember the very first day of your pre-school.  When I picked you up, your teacher told us we will never have to worry about you getting picked on in school. Surprised, I asked your teacher why she would say that. She told us because you yelled at some bigger kids for cutting in line while you were waiting for the slide!  And to this day, she has been right. 🙂  You are sociable, lovable, and all of your teachers adore you. But just don’t cut in your line on the slide!

Without fail, it doesn’t matter when mommy or daddy gets home. If you are awake,  we can always count on you screaming on top of your lungs “MOMMY/DADDY IS HOME, YAYYYYYY!!!!!!!”  You run up to us, throw your little arms around us. And for a brief moment, all worries in the world disappears because I have you in my arms. Don’t.ever.stop.hugging.me. Promise?

You definitely have a strong personality, unlike that of your sister. And we absolutely LOVE you for it. We love the way you insist on putting your own clothes on, even though they are backwards most of the time. The way you insist on wearing your favorite dress even though it’s freezing outside. You are very independent, and you almost always insist on doing things by yourself.  You might get mad because mommy & daddy are always trying to help you. But to be honest, we are not trying to help you at all. It’s for us. We are just trying to hold on to our last baby girl for as long as we can. I want to remember.

I want to share a song with you. It’s an old country song that has been sung by many different people. It’s a song called To Make You Feel My Love.  In case you didn’t know, this is the song that we will be dancing to at your wedding. Yes, I already have a song picked out for the father/daughter dance at your wedding, and you have NO say in it. 🙂 I’ve been dreaming about the day when you get married even before you were born. It’s not probably, it’s definitely. I definitely will be a sobbing mess. Even now, I can’t listen to this song without tearing up. So let’s make a deal. If you ever hear this song, doesn’t matter which corner of the world your life takes you.  I want you to stop what you are doing, spend the next few minutes listening to this song. I want you to think of my love for you. It will allow me to be a part of you no matter where you are. And I promise you  I will always, always, always be there for you when you need me.

When the rain is blowing in your face
And the whole world is on your case
I would offer you a warm embrace
To make you feel my love
When the evening shadows and the stars appear
And there is no one to dry your tears
I could hold you for a million years
To make you feel my love
I know you haven’t made your mind up yet
But I would never do you wrong
I’ve known it from the moment that we met
No doubt in my mind where you belong
I’d go hungry, I’d go blind for you
I’d go crawling down the aisle for you
There ain’t nothing that I wouldn’t do
To make you feel my love
The storms are raging on a rolling sea
Down the highway of regret
The winds of change are blowing wild and free
But you ain’t seen nothing like me yet
There ain’t nothing that I wouldn’t do
Go to the ends of the earth for you
Make you happy, make your dreams come true
To make you feel my love

With much love, Mommy, Daddy, & Ally.