3

They say 3 is a magic number, but I don't know that I'd say that I really feel that way right about now.  3 isn't supposed to be this way.  3 isn't supposed to leave me in tears.  3 shouldn't involve leaving balloons at a cemetery.  3 isn't supposed to be a wonderful, loving family planting a memorial tree.  3 should be 4.

3 was supposed to be fun.  3 should have had a Minion cake and noodles.  3 should have been a play kitchen, or a doll house, or clothes, maybe some books.  3 should have had singing and laughing and dancing, and maybe some crying over the birthday candles being lit, maybe a little fighting over who got to open the presents.  3 should have been cousins and aunts and uncles.  3 should be my fridge covered in scribbles and play dough all over my kitchen table.

But that's not what we have.

Instead we have lots of tears and balloons at the cemetery.  We have a wonderful, loving, and thoughtful family who planted a tree.  We have no cake, but there are noodles.  We have memories and pictures.  We have a tree and a porcelain doll.  We celebrated our eternal family and went to the temple.  And the 3 of us will cuddle and watch videos and pictures while we laugh and cry at the same time.

So, happy birthday to our Princess.  We miss you, we love you, we will always remember you.

-Melissa