08.21.14 - Thursday

I wish somebody had warned me that turning four was such a momentous year. From the day you turned four, everything has apparently changed. All the things that you were limited by just a few days ago are now things that you've outgrown.

For reference, I give you our conversations today:

You were using the restroom, informing me that "I'm going to wash my hands when I'm done. But I don't need to use that stool. I needed that when I was three. I'm four now. I don't need the stool." *Note: this is the same stool that just a month ago you were thrilled to be using....

Later, as we drove home from your ballet class, you were calling out "Spot!" at the yellow cars you saw. Now, just a few weeks ago, you would Spot yellow cars, but you also liked to spot playgrounds. As we passed the playground at a church, I called out, "Look, Spot the playground."

"Mommy," you stated, your voice as full of patient exasperation as it is possible for a four year old to have. "I don't spot playgrounds anymore. I did that when I was three. Now I'm four. I only Spot yellow cars." (If you eight years  older, you would have rolled your eyes at me.)

Sigh. I can't keep up.

07.20.14 - Sunday

We've had quite a few tussles this week, little Blueberry mine. You have suddenly decided that you DO NOT want to go to bed and have been shutting down to try to avoid having to do so.

We've been talking a lot about how mommy and daddy are not good at mind reading and you have to use words to tell us what's bothering you. Finally tonight you used words very well.

First of all you told you "I don't know where doggy is and that makes me mad."

Later, having resolved the doggy situation, you felt that since this expressing emotions business went so well, you decided to inform me about another time that you felt mad.

"Member when we went and saw my best friend Lily and then we had to leave? That made me mad."

Me: "Yes, leaving friends can make us upset. Is there anything we can do to help that?"

You: "Go see Lily."

Sigh. The problem with expressing oneself is that those who are being expressed to (especially when they're your parents) have to deal with those desires and needs. LOL.

07.14.14 - Monday

Last week was your first ballet class without mommy. You did great! It's an Angelina Ballerina class, and the book was based on Angelina having a sleepover. Thus the laying on the floor.

07.10.14 - Thursday

It's been a busy week for you and mommy, my little blueberry. You've been taking an Angelina Ballerina dance camp all week. Two and a half hours every morning of dancing, crafts, story, and delight. Fun but exhausting for sure. Afternoon naps have been a definite this week.

07.07.14 - Monday

This Fourth of July, we went to a lake and had a grand time hunting frogs, jumping off bouncy devices, and swimming. You have gotten so brave. What happened to my little girl who would scream and cry if we tried to get her into the water without her strangleholding our necks? She has been replaced by a brave young lady who jumps into the water and doggy paddles around by herself. And now bursts into tears when it's time to leave the water instead of not wanting to get in at all!

07.02.14 - Wednesday

This summer I have been amazed at your eagerness to explore water. Last year, getting you to go into the water at all was a constant challenge. This year, keeping you safe in your eager splashing has been my bigger concern. I'm so proud of you taking on the water!

06.02.14 - Monday

Blueberries for Sal has been the book of focus this week and last. We've "picked" blueberries and put them into a pail to hear the Kerplink-kerplunk-kerplank. We've practiced numbers by counting out blueberries and matching them to the right number card and then eating them all up for snack. We've practiced big-B and little-b and have had a lovely time. Every day you wake up eager and ask if we can "play school" today.

Oh sweet child, may you always want to "play school."

05.13.14 - Tuesday

Last week we spent a lovely week with Nana and Papa (pics to come). I'm so pleased that you not only remembered them well, but were chatty and happy to be with them.

From climbing over 1000 steps to explore Chimney Rock Park to you taking Nana and Papa to the park, to stories and cuddles and games, singing songs, and reading rhymes, you certainly seemed to enjoy yourself.

And that makes this Mommy's heart happy.

04.18.14 - Friday

We've been following more of the Dave Ramsey philosophy regarding kids and allowances etc. Namely--while there are certain things you do because you are just part of the family, there are other jobs you can do (even at the age of three) that we will pay you for so you can earn money. And otherwise you don't get money.

The money goes three ways (we normally pay you $.75 to simplify matters--someday we'll get into tithes and all that, but for now, this is easiest). $.25 goes into your Saving jar, which for now is money you save to spend on other people (for presents and such); $.25 goes into your Tithe jar; and the last $.25 goes into your spending jar.

So far this has been really good. Your latest venture has been washing the dishes. Now, at some point, my dear daughter, this will become one of those things you do just because, but for now, it's been a good little job you can do to earn some money to go to the bookstore or when we're out shopping with "the big girls" to feel like you also can buy something.

I don't know as we would have started this lesson so young, but because you are out so frequently with the rest of the girls, watching as they can buy treats and all that, it's nice for you to be able to participate as well.

And you're so good at washing the dishes, I'm seriously considering having you give lessons to "the big girls" in cleaning up the sink after yourself, etc. It's really quite impressive. Especially considering you have to haul yourself up to reach all the way around the sink to even scrub it down to begin with.

04.15.14 - Tuesday

The conversation went something like this.

You - being silly and goofy.

Me: "You're silly."

You: "I'm not silly. I'm hysterical!"

And your father and I just about lost it. Because you are right. You are hysterical.

03.19.14 - Wednesday

You came home from church tonight, and we were talking about what you did/learned. You weren't very forthcoming on much; however, you did proudly tell me that you sang "Three Blind Mice" to your teacher "all on my own." She was apparently impressed.

03.16.14 - Sunday

You remind me of your Auntie Joy, my baby sister. When she was your age, she, too, would tell me long and involved stories, dragging into them any element she could possibly think of, pulling from every story she had ever heard. This is not a bad thing at all, and I love to hear your stories (admittedly, I do have to ask you to stop talking for a few minutes sometimes just because I can't concentrate fully with your gentle voice never stopping....). Keep imagining, my Blueberry love, such a gift can take you to the edge of the world and back again.

03.12.14 - Wednesday

You played Go Fish today. We've played it a few times together, but this was the first time I've watched you sit down with a friend and play it of your own initiative. A love of board games and such is almost genetic in your case, my dear Blueberry, and I'm excited to see you taking on this challenging world with some enthusiasm.

March 9, 2014 - Sunday

So we're at the end of a week off, coming into a four week stretch. It's funny in that you truly love playing with the girls in the cottage, being with your "other sisters," but you definitely hit your tired points when you, also, need to have a break. I hope these four weeks aren't too much for you, but we shall see.

In the meantime, we've had a fun week. Reading books, playing, walks in the park--spying on the ducks and sliding down slides, dates with daddy, movies, and cuddles.

Our "fun week" has come to an end, and back to work we go.

March 3, 2014

At devotions the other night, you and your six year old cottage "sister" were trying to decide what song to sing. You were rather emphatic that you knew the song you wanted, you just couldn't remember how it went.

So you took your children's Bible which has a song associated with each story (over 100 stories), flipped through it quickly to find the specific story that had the song you wanted, and showed it to me. I read the first line of the song and asked if that was the one you wanted. Yup! That was precisely what you were trying to remember.

Here's the thing. It's been probably 3 or 4 MONTHS since we last read that particular story. And that's assuming that I told you which song went with that story the last time we read it--because I don't always. But not only did you know which story had the song you wanted, you knew where in the book to find it.

And I don't think you can read yet....

My mind is a little blowed, oh smart one.

March 1, 2014 - Saturday

I watched you today, playing in the big field outside our house. You have come so far in your sense of self.

Climbing up slides backwards, playing kickball with the boys, rolling in the grass like a crazy girl, chasing the electric car one of the big boys. You barely blinked an eye at the introduction of kickball or tug of war.

I love to see your growth.

02.26.14 - Wednesday

So we have a rule around here that on Wednesdays you MUST take a nap if you're going to go to Wednesday night church. Why? Because you have a history of complete melt downs otherwise.

So we settled you down to have your nap today, and you were in a goofy mood. You sang. You talked to doggy. You played with a pen (which I later discovered included graffit-ing your arm). You giggled. You did anything but close your eyes. So eventually we said, "OK, quiet time over, go ahead and get up and play, but you're staying home tonight."

Wide-eyed you thought about this for a moment. "May I try that again?"

"Why, yes," we replied.

So you tried again. Round two. Round three (always your choice). And eventually you finally were convinced that we really were serious and you took your nap. Four hours later from when we started this process.

Age three and nap time is still an adventure.

At least you had a fabulous time at church and a happy evening and good sleep that night and a happy day today.

02.23.14 - Sunday

So the other day we were at Chic-fil-a, and you were enjoying playing in the climbing section. I was amused to call you out so we could come home, and you inform me that you made friends with the other two girls who were in there, and that you were all now playing "Mommy-Doggy/Baby-Doggy". It amazes me how you manage to lure everyone into that particular game with you! And the fact that you were willing to talk to complete strangers is almost a miracle. You are steadily growing more bold in your interactions with others.

02.20.14 - Thursday

At three and a half years, you are 31 pounds and exactly three feet tall.

My baby is growed up.

But you still love for me to sing Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte to you. So we're all good.

02.17.14 - Monday

So we've been working on learning the calendar together. You're very good at the year (two-foundsand-fourteen) and the current season (Winter! Where snow is). January you had down. February, however, is Zander's birthday. Hopefully we'll get this one by the end of the month.

02.12.14 - Wednesday

Snow!! And you went sledding for the first time. First time down the hill, you came up giggling and happy. Second time you got a face full of snow and were, well, less than impressed. So we came in and had hot chocolate instead.

02.04.14 - Tuesday

Current Favorite Breakfast: soft boiled egg (in a chicken or cow egg cup)

Current Favorite Toy: Doggie--still your best friend. Second favorite--a push airplane

Current Favorite Color: purple or orange

Current Favorite Show: My Little Pony

Current Favorite Songs: BINGO; The Butterfly Song; Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte

02.22.14 - Saturday

Your memory amazes me sometimes. Tonight at devotions, you were very precise about which song you wanted to sing (as we always sing a song after reading the Bible and prayers). You couldn't remember how the song went, but you took your children's Bible (which has songs related to each different story), found the exact story that had the song you were wanting to sing associated with it, and showed it to me. I was a little bit floored, I admit. We hadn't read that particular story in several months at least, but you knew exactly what story had the song you wanted to sing.

01.24.14 - Friday

You discussing plans for the next day with me:

"When Jesus raises the sun up and makes morning then we shall go take a walk and then play play-dough?"

Yes, darling. When Jesus raises the sun, we shall.

01.20.13 - Monday

You made a new friend today. We have a new six year old girl in the cottage, and you had an absolute blast playing together. I had to laugh as she flew you around on a push airplane that you have and you blasted monsters...particularly when the monster was your baby brother. Poor boy didn't know what role he had been assigned, but he still nicely tried to attack the plane, which greatly helped your game.

I love your imagination my Blueberry. And I'm glad you have a new friend your age. 

01.14.14 - Tuesday

I watched you in the car yesterday. You've gotten so tall. Your legs draped over the edge of your car seat, your feet almost touching the seat of the car. Where has my little baby gone?