We’ve got a birthday quickly approaching in our household, and I’m feeling the need to get all mushy over my angel of a soon-to-be 4-year-old. When I say ‘angel,’ I 100% mean it.  I believe only a mother’s love allows one to look past the countless times each day your patience is tested (often times broken), you repeat yourself to no avail, you’re corrected by a tiny all-knowing being who asked the question to begin with, the dog is endlessly tormented, and you’re looking around every corner because you just know poop is lurking somewhere… At the end of a long day (after she’s stalled bedtime several hours while I wonder what it would be like if maybe just once she would lay down, close her eyes, and zzzzz…) I finally watch her sleep and could not imagine feeling more love or wonderment towards this beautiful child that I get to wake up to every day. Just like that I have a renewed sense of patience, humor, and purpose. Even more than she gives me a hard time, she makes me smile with her bold ideas, intriguing conversations, hilarious antics, and strong sense of self. I love this girl to the moon and back, and as always am excited to see what her future holds. Three was one heck of a year and four is bound to bring record-breaking amounts of joy. Mommy could not be more proud of you, Emerson!