If these guys don't make you smile...

Over all tonight was a good night. I only hesitate slightly just because Ellie has been challenging us on a daily basis lately. Considering we never had much of a bout of Terrible Twos and my friends claim the Threes will give you nightmares for years... we've been pretty lucky. But she does challenge us and though it's rarely something big, it can still be exhausting.

That being said, though, she still fills my day with such joy. Tonight she wanted to play with our next door neighbor (Olivia) and we let her. She was so happy playing Hide and Seek and coloring with chalk that we didn't really have the heart to tell her that dinner was ready. She even asked to go for a bike ride with "Livia," to which I found myself saying yes (SHOCK). They went all the way around the block. WITHOUT ME. ACK!!!

She really is so grown up and it's hard for me to watch her be so independent, yet it's such a form of relief to me too. It hurts to try to explain it, but I'm sure fellow parents know exactly what I'm saying.

But the highlight of the night was when we decided to draw! Unlike previous times, it was ME who requested what to draw and it was ELLIE who drew it. Usually I instruct her, but NOT THIS TIME!!! I asked her to draw smiley faces and she said she didn't know how. All I did was tell her that she needed to start with a circle. She took it from there. Without a word from me, she drew eyes, smiles, hair (including the rainbow hair on the last guy), arms, legs and feet. I just sat back and offered her different colors.

I can not describe how happy these drawings make me feel. There is something about funny smiley people with arms and legs sticking straight out of their heads that makes it impossible for you to not smile back at them. Don't they just make you realize how good life really is? Don't they just make you feel all goofy inside?