Tylie turned three this month. It's always so crazy to think about the last few years, and the difference this spunky little girl has made in our lives since she joined us. Tylie had been talking about her birthday for weeks before, and constantly reminded us that it was coming. Three is such a fun age, because she totally understood the excitement surrounding her special day....so great!
Brent and I both started back to work full time on the day of Tylie's birthday, so we were forced to celebrate a little early. We took the girls on an outing to the Fort Worth Zoo....always a big hit!
The girls riding a komodo dragon.
Our first family picture in a really long time.
Exploring interesting facts about crocs.
Brave little Kaelisse climbing on a croc.
Feeding the birds.
Back in July, Tylie was bummed that we didn't let her ride the train during the 4th of July celebration, and she had been talking about it since. We found out about the Forest Park Miniature Railroad, which is very close to the zoo, and we knew it would be a big hit. It is an open train that rides through parts of Fort Worth, through a park, and even crosses multiple bridges. The ride was about 40 minutes long. It was so much fun, and Tylie was thrilled to finally get her train ride!
The day before her actual birthday, Tylie was talking about her cake. I had no plans of doing anything creative or cute with her cake this year....I just didn't have the ideas, time, or the energy. But Tylie, out of nowhere, starts rambling on about a "bug" cake that she knows she is going to get. Um....okay. So that night I threw together a butterfly. It turned out alright...for a last-minute project.
On the morning of her birthday, we had to get up at the crack of dawn to celebrate and let her open a couple presents before we all headed out.
She was most excited about her bike, and rode it around all morning.
She was, of course, spoiled by grandmas and grandpas and mom and dad. She got very excited about everything she opened, and wanted to take all of it with her to the babysitter.
Kae got one present....mostly as a distraction...
It wasn't until the next day that we were all together again to eat cake. You can tell she was very excited for the attention.
And the cake was delicious!
Ahhh... a three-year-old's sense of style! :) She was cracking me up, digging through my drawers to find socks, a belt, and gloves. She picked it all out herself, and danced around the living room with it all on for a while. (Yes, that belt is mine. And yes, it wraps completely around her...twice)
Tylie continues to amaze and astound us. Her language has blossomed, and we have interesting conversations all the time. She corrects my use of singular/plurals, reminds me when I forget to mention something in our nightly prayer, and chatters with almost anyone who will listen. She continues to be the social little bug that she always was...making friends everywhere we go, with children and adults alike. She is the perfect balance of torturing her little sister, and then playing with her, teaching her new things, and comforting her when she is sad. Tylie is becoming more independent and defiant with every day, leaving us wondering how we are ever going to keep up with her. I can't wait to see the things she accomplishes with this determination! Tylie still loves to read books, and is an athletic little girl. She climbs, runs, jumps, and balances on anything she can find (one of the many wonderful traits that her too-little sister tries to mimic). Tylie loves to laugh, and enjoys making us laugh, too. Tylie is one of the brightest lights in my life....I adore her, admire her, and love her so much! I know that one day she will be sure to make her mark on this world! Look out!
