Four

Four years old.  I can't believe it. You are SO big.

Your world is filled with princesses, puzzles and "meat sandwiches" from Arby's. You still love to dress up. You don't immediately run to the dress up box each morning like you used to do, but it is a rare day that goes by without the dress up box getting some use. And many days I think you just use your regular wardrobe in a game of dress-up.  It is always interesting to see what you choose to wear.

  

You have traded Ariel for Belle as your favorite princess and added the color "wellow" to your list of favorite colors. You love to tell me that you "used to like" just pink when "I was a baby, Mom, but now that I'm growed up I like all different colors  ... like pink and purple and wellow!"

Your imagination is still expanding by leaps and bounds! I spend a lot of time wishing I could be inside your head so I could really know what you are thinking. In the past year you've started peppering our conversations with names of people that don't exist outside of your imagination. You talk about your "sissy" all the time and often startle girls that you pass by when you point to them and announce, "There's my sissy, Mom!"  When I first asked who you would like to invite to your birthday party, you listed off "Abby and Sarah and Alice."  My best guess is that these are your imaginary friends as I have never met anyone by those names in your group of friends.  

What is really funny is that you have many real life friends.  In fact, whenever we go somewhere, you nearly always meet your "best friend."  One day at Chick-Fil-A, you brought a girl up to me and told me, "Mom, this is my new best friend!"  I asked what your best friend's name was and you stopped, looked at me for a second and then turned to the little girl and asked, "What's your name?"  And that story is not unusual for you.  

You even love grown-ups.  You are a huge hit at the UMW lunches because you run up to those ladies and give them "big hugs!"  You are so loved.

You are such a people pleaser.  In fact, when you watch TV (a favorite activity of yours ... you love the "sheep show," Kipper, Pink Panther cartoons and Scooby Doo) you hate to see a character doing something he is not supposed to do.  You declare the show "too scary" and run from the room rather than see him get caught and scolded.  You refuse to watch Curious George because that monkey is always getting into things he shouldn't!

You are definitely a sensitive little tidbit.  This has been our biggest challenge because your Mama is not.  I'm still learning how not to "break" you and how to kindly put the pieces back together when I do.  Part of me wishes you would toughen up.  That part makes its appearance when you are being rather dramatic in your weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.  But a bigger part of me loves your sweet heart and tender spirit.  We're working together to try to figure out how to hold onto the best parts of you while also preparing you for a world that is not a gentle one.

You're trying to make sense of that world already and your part in it.  I frequently get asked, "Mommy, when you were a little girl like me, did you ... ?"  or told, "Mommy, Gran is your mommy and Grandad is your daddy!"  You're working on figuring out time.  For a while, everything happened "yesterday."  You would start each conversation with "Mommy, remember yesterday when I ... " and it didn't matter if it happened an hour ago, a month ago or even a year ago.  

And boy do you remember things!!!  You still talk about feeding the alligators marshmallows with Grandma Steele last Spring.  And you keep me honest.  I'll often promise to do something or give you something and then get sidetracked.  Soon, you'll be right there telling me, "Mom!  Remember you said you would ... ?  Remember, Mom?  You forgot about that, didn't you?"  You get great joy from reminding me about things.

I find your roundabout way of asking for things pretty funny.  You will often come to me and tell me, "Mommy, we can't eat the candy."  And then I know you'd like some candy.  Sometimes, to mess with you, I'll just say, "Oh, okay, I didn't realize that.  I was going to see if you wanted a piece."  Even though you're happy about getting what you want, you don't like the teasing, though.  You hate it if you think someone is laughing at you. 

You love to move: climbing and jumping off things, chasing friends, riding your bike.  You love to be active.  Most of all, you love to dance.  You are in ballet classes this year.  Once a week on Tuesday afternoons, we head to the church for you to take a 30-minute dance class with Ms. Mary Catherine.  The first day you refused to let me leave your side.  You sat on my lap and cried the whole time.  Everyone was shocked.  It was so completely unlike you.  Later, as you danced up and down the aisles of Kroger, you informed me that you "just felt shy" at class.  I was a little worried I had made a mistake signing you up.  By the next class, you were right in there with the other little girls.  Now, you run into the room and shout "Teacher!  Teacher!  I here!  I here!"  and give your teacher a big hug.  The one day I tried to stay and watch you told me I needed to leave.

You definitely have an independent streak.  I am often told to stop watching you.  You're brave, too.  One day at the park you fell off one of the ladders.  You cried a bit as Mommy held you and then looked at me and asked, "I try, try again?"  I said sure and went over in case you wanted help.  The ladder was shaking you were so scared, but you climbed right up to the top!  I was so proud of you, my girl.

Your fine motor skills are also catching up to your imagination!  You draw such fun pictures.  My favorite (besides the ones of me) is the colored pencil drawing you did of "an angel picking flowers."

You and your brother.  This is my favorite part of watching you grow up.  You two are each other's best friend and best enemy!  Dax knows just how to push your buttons.  And you know just how to pinch him so that it hurts the worst.  You guys play together all the time.  You make up stories.  You play games.  You help each other get into trouble.  You argue.  You fight.  You apologize.  And you always remember that "brothers and sisters STICK TOGETHER!"

Julia, this past year with you has been so much fun.  I'm your Mommy so of course I love you, but it has been so great to realize that I really LIKE you, too.  I enjoy our days together, the way you try to make me laugh, your helpful spirit, your artistic projects and the "adventures" we have.  You are such a blessing.  

I love you,

Mommy