I have a 4-year-old

Why does four seem so much older than three? This year has flown by because of all the changes our family has been through.  My tiny baby has turned into a big girl over night.  A small part of me is trying to hold onto that little bald baby, but a bigger part of me is excited about the girl she's becoming.  I love watching her grow and learn new things, and I adore the person she is.  This morning I watched her overcome her fears and frustrations when she discovered how fast and far she could ride her new bike.  I couldn't have been more proud in that moment, as I ran down the street in my flip-flops trying to keep up.  She's curious, smart, and she really cares about things.  If it doesn't make sense to her, she must find out why.  When she makes a mistake that hurts someone, she is truly heartbroken.  She's taking her sisterly responsibilities very seriously, and teaches her sister about life.  Ev has embraced books and loves to practice her letter sounds.  She sounded out her first word the other day with no help. 

So we had a perfect fourth birthday yesterday.  I was feeling guilty about not having a real birthday party with her friends (why? I don't know,) so I smashed as much fun into the day as I could.   I stayed up late the night before making a birthday shirt for her.  We went to breakfast at Krispy Kreme.  She said they were the best doughnuts in the world and enjoyed watching the "factory" through the window.  We stopped at the party store to pick a birthday crown, then went to play at Aunt Janna's house for the morning.  Everly loves to visit Aunt Janna and Uncle Brett ("the boy one") and was very excited to go. They played on the trampoline and the tire swing, looked for fairies in the "woods" behind their house, went in the tree house and played with toys.  It was the perfect thing to do that day.

 Cody came home early and we went to Chuck E. Cheese for dinner.  We ate too much pizza and had enough tokens to play to our hearts' content and then some more.  Everly was very busy and excited. 

Then we came home to cake and presents.  She got a lot of fun gifts that were perfect for her.  Sidewalk chalk paint, bubble gun, water gun, clothes and accessories, crafts(glue, paper, things to glue on paper,) a Dora fishing pole, earrings, and a bike.  One of my favorite parts of the day was the treasure hunt she had to do to find her bike.  She said, "This is so fun.  It's funner than all the things!" It was a perfect day for my cute girl.  She was smiling and making up birthday songs about herself all day.