Life With Triplets Plus One: Letters to My Birthday Babies

My sweet baby girl,

I cannot believe that you are turning three years old! I have loved spending the last three years with you and watching you grow. You were the tiniest of all three of you when you were born, but that didn't stop you from making sure you were born first! When Mommy and Daddy got the ultrasound to find out whether you were a boy or a girl, you were moving and dancing around so much that they couldn't tell if you were a boy or a girl! When Mommy found out that you were a girl, she KNEW that you were the one she wanted to name Peyton. Your name was one of Mommy's most favorite names since she was a little girl.

Peyton, as soon as you were born, we knew you were such a little fighter. You were the smallest and had the most health issues in the NICU, but you surpassed everyone's expectations and made it out of the hospital only a few days after your brother and sister. Another thing I remember about you when you were first born was your eyes. You have always had the most beautiful and expressive eyes, baby girl. I can look into them and see everything that you are thinking.

From the beginning (and it still rings true today), you have been the most vocal of the three of you. You love to talk and tell everyone what you are thinking and what is happening. You are full of so many questions, some that I can't even answer! You are such a smart girl and we have loved seeing your imagination start to blossom. You definitely make the funniest comments that make Mommy realize that she needs to watch what she says around you!

Peyton, although you can be quite (*ahem*) loud at times, you definitely have a very sensitive heart. You look after Sam, and especially Adah. You and Adah play so well together and I hope you two are able to become sisters who share everything, even though you are so different. You like to announce your successes to anyone who will listen and you are so proud of yourself when you do something right. On the flip side, you get very emotional if Mommy or Daddy gets upset with you. You are very sensitive about being reprimanded and tend to go into the other room to cry so we cannot see.

This last year of watching you grow has been so much fun! I wouldn't necessarily call you bossy (though Mommy apparently was that way as well), but you definitely tend to be the ring leader of the group. You are so creative and you love involving everyone else in your games. You probably spend less time in "time out" than your brother and sister do, but I think that's because you're just better at not getting caught doing things you shouldn't be doing!

Peyton, you are one of the friendliest and happiest children that I have ever known. You are so beautiful, inside and out, and I cannot wait to keep watching you grow over the next few years. Please don't do it too fast!