Three

Daddy's little girl turned three today. Happy birthday, Elsie Lou!

Close enough

Elsie turns three on October 3rd, but she's been going around for a few weeks now telling everyone that she's "frwee". Amanda had the audacity to tell her the other day that she's not three yet, to which Elsie replied, "I'm a wittle bit frwee."

Yes, she's a little bit three. And a whole lot of trouble. I'm going to have to keep a close eye on that little sassy britches.

I guess that makes me Prince Charming

As promised, Elsie and I went on a date last night. She loved her pink earrings, and she had all the pizza, salad, breadsticks, and soda that she wanted at Olive Garden. On our way back out to the car she decided we should dance together in the grass for awhile. I kindly obliged.

This evening, a couple of our friends from church are getting married, so I'll get to dance with the *original* princess tonight. What a lucky guy!

Daddy's princess

Elsie's about 2 1/2 now, and our nursery at church only goes up to age 3. Even if that weren't the case, She's getting to the point where she can control herself well enough to participate in worship without being a complete and total distraction. So, last week we kept her with us through the point in the service where we corporately confess our sins. Each person kneels quietly, in prayer, and then the pastor prays for us and asks God to forgive us for Jesus' sake. Very good stuff. Except when your daughter picks the quietest time in the whole service to throw her fit. There's nothing like hearing your daughter screaming "I don' wanto paay!!!!" as she's being carried out through the back doors.

A few moments before that she showed me that she had lost her earring while she was in the nursery during the Sunday school hour. I told her I thought it was sad that her earring was missing. "That's OK, Daddy," she said, "you can just buy me diamond ones, OK Daddy?" Amanda let her know that there are also pink diamonds. "You get me those. Pink ones, OK Daddy?" I'll be sure to get right on that, Else.

So, tonight I'm taking her out on a date. She's finally at that age where I think it will be fun for both of us, and I've always thought it important for a daddy to date his daughters. I told her that we could go to Cici's Pizza to have pizza, noodles, soda, and cinnamon rolls. "No," she told me, "you take me to Olive Garden."

On my way home tonight I'll be stopping by Claire's to see about some pink "diamond" earrings for Elsie to wear on our date to The Olive Garden. What can I say? She's daddy's little princess. And may she never forget it.