Happy Birthday, Katelyn! What a wonderful little person you are!  Here are 48 things I love about you, one for each month of your precious life with us.

1. your happy heart
2. whimsical costumes
   
3. the lullabies you sing to Audrey
4. your gossamer hair
5. "mommy, the more I get bigger, the more I'll be your daughter"
6. the crazy nicknames you give everyone ("Boo-ey", "Baby Sukey", "Mommy-moh")
7. your sensitive spirit
8. the way you always put your shoes on the wrong feet
9. how you always want to say the blessing
10. your freckles
11. your love of art projects of any kind
12. how obedient you are in general
13. The way you change your demeanor when you are trying to act grown up
14. you still love it when I carry you to bed
15. the way you look at your daddy
    
16. how much you trust us
17. the look of contentment you get when you feel safe and relaxed
18. your tree-climbing
19. dancing in the kitchen
20. how you think of Greenbear as a real person
21. you ask Jesus to help you with things like finding the 7-11 and being nice to others
22. the way you love Audrey and your kid friends
23. your good manners
24. how you plan out taking turns with others, usually you are first
25. your love of stickers but dislike of fake tattoos
26. that dolphin-squeak when you laugh
    
27. "mommy, is your finger stuck?" (you want me to tickle your armpits)
28. your incredibly specific bedtime requirements (two fans, 4 friends in the bed, water with crushed ice, stereo remote)
29. how you "read the newspaper" with me (toys-r-us ad)
30. how patient you are with adults who want to fawn over you, even though I know you don't like it
31. your cute little toes
32. how you practice your swimming in the bathtub
33. your vocabulary surprises me
34. the way you talk yourself through everything you do
35. how you sleep like the dead
36. when you get in bed with me in the morning
37. "tortillas, queso, beans, and rice"
38. you love to help me cook
39. pirate adventures in the backyard
40. card games with you
41. your love of birthdays, not just your own
42. "mommy, I have a flower for you!"
43. you love to be a princess ("Mommy, I'm a princess because I'm a child of God and He's the King!")
    
44. how you reassure me when I look worried
45. your teachable heart
46. your desire to obey
47. you spread joy wherever you go
48. you are you and there is no one else like you!!!

My sweet baby girl is now my sweet big girl.  I enjoy you more every day and I look forward to more wonderful moments with you.  Happy Birthday to the one who made me a mommy!