Letter to My Birthday Girl: 4 Years Old

I can't believe it's been FOUR whole years since you came into my world…

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LilliAnn McKenzie..."Unicorn Princess LilliAnn"...you make my heart happy. Every single day you bring me joy and make my world better.

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I love how you make me see the world through the eyes of a 4 year-old. Everything is "just adorable," "so gorgeous," magical, sparkly, colorful, and "the best ever!" You make me better. You make me see the glass half full instead of half empty. You make me notice the little things that I would otherwise miss in our busy, chaotic world. You received a "make your own jewelry" kit for your birthday yesterday. I was taking a nap and you couldn't wait for me to wake up so you could show me the "diamonds" you made. "Mommy, look! Aren't they just beautiful? They are SOOOO gorgeous! Daddy read the constructions so good!" (I love how you call instructions, "constructions.")

Every day is like this. You get so excited to show me something you drew, to tell me about your day at school, or to have me watch something with you on t.v. Everyone should live life like this...with excitement, love, and pure JOY!

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You love to sing and dance. Every day you are making up a new song, or dancing around the living room. You love using the words, "gorgeous," "adorable," and "amazing." You love coloring, painting, and anything having to do with art. And I must say, you are very creative. You love sitting at your art desk making us all pictures or cutting and gluing crafts. While Reid likes to draw pictures of sharks, dinosaurs, or basketball players, you prefer to write letters/the alphabet and do "important office work."  

You have always been sweet and cuddly, but I must say, four has brought out your sassy side. The day that Rush was born you looked right at yourself in the mirror and said, "I'm a big sister." And those words seemed to change your entire attitude. You have now been telling Reid that you're four, so you're the "boss of our house." And when I told you that the dress you were putting on was still a little too big, you responded, "But I'm four now. Do you think I still look three?!" You can be a bit manipulative at times…when I want to fix your hair, you do everything in the world to stall me. "Let me do this first," or "I have to go check on the baby and then I will let you do it." And if you want something, you'll say, "If you let me have some candy I will love you," or "if you say that to me again I'm not going to love you anymore." And I am either the "best mama in the whole wide world," or it's "I don't love you anymore."  When you get embarrassed or really upset you run and hide, and when you get mad you'll cry and cry, telling your daddy and I, "I can't breathe," "You hurt my heart," "You ruined my entire day," and "I can't make my tears stop." Dramatic…that is one word that describes your personality at four years old. 

I love when you crawl in bed with me and hold onto my arm. Last night you came into our room, got up into bed with us, then looked up at me with the biggest, cheesiest grin and said, "I love your bed mommy. It's soooooo cozy!" I love when you give me butterfly and eskimo kisses. I love that our eyes are the exact same color of hazel-gold, and that you make up a cheer or dance every time you're excited about something…just like I used to do. I love that you remember every single thing…even things that I think you were way too young to remember. I love the way your hair curls up when it's humid outside, and I love the "opu face" that you make…but not as much as Nana Karen! I love that you love learning and reading about Jesus, and that Sunday school is one of your favorite places to go. I love that you love Disney movies and that you dance around your room singing the songs. I love to read books to you, and I love when you read to yourself - making up the cutest stories to the pictures. I love that you still want me to wrap you up like a baby when you get out of the bathtub, and that you still want me to hold you. 

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LilliAnn Loves:

-princesses

-watching Doc McStuffins

-crafting, cutting, gluing, drawing, or anything having to do with ART!

-playing at her art desk

-baby dolls, especially Bitty Baby and "the one Missy got her"

-tea parties

-anything pink

-"prince-els" (pretzels)

-taking baths

-drawing pictures with Papa

-gymnastics, particularly the balance beam

-playing Legos and "Hide and Go Seek" with Reid

-fruit, especially raspberries, blackberries, kiwi, and bananas

-making up songs and doing her "bal-la-let" dance moves

-going to Ms. April's art class at Paint the Town

-brushing and fixing people's hair

-putting on make-up (she has recently started buying make-up instead of toys)

-picking out her own outfits (and matching bows, of course!)

-reading books, especially the princess tea party book

-Caillou
-her best friend, Lyla

-Mexican food! chips & queso, & enchiladas with chili sauce on top

-flossing her teeth

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This is my verse for you as you begin your 4 year-old "big girl" journey:

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

I pray for you to have these qualities: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. I pray that you'll see other's through Jesus's eyes and that you will love others in spite of their mistakes. I hope you're kind and gentle, and have patience even when you are angry and frustrated. There will be people who are mean to you, sweet girl...mean girls...but I hope YOU are always kind and compassionate...always the positive one, always graceful...always the peacemaker...and always a true friend.

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LilliAnn, I love when you tell me that I'm the "best mommy in the world wide world." You are sugar and spice, and everything nice…and I'm so glad that you are mine.