I remember when I was writing Taylor's "3" birthday blog post, it felt hard to capture exactly what she was like in a few words. Now she is 4, and I feel the same way!
It is 4:30am, the day after her birthday, and I woke up thinking about Taylor and thinking about what it feels like to have a 4 year old now. Within the past 6 months, Taylor now has 2 new cousins, and I look at those little ones and their first-time parents, and can still so vividly remember those early months with Taylor. And there is a part of me that always feels a little sad on birthdays, because I wonder where that time went! I told this to my students yesterday, and one little boy raised his hand and said, "Is it a happy sad?" :) That made me smile, and I told him that it was!!
We had a fun weekend at the cottage celebrating Taylor's last days as a three year old, and a low-key evening yesterday celebrating her actual birthday. But before I post pictures about our weekend, I need to write about our now FOUR year old.
Taylor's favorites~
Painting with watercolors, making pretend lists on her notepad, creating big smiley faces on her easel, balloons, cheese sandwiches, running in her undies around the house (still likes to take off her shirt and pants as soon as we get in the door from daycare!), stuffed animals, her white blankie, cozy pajamas, playing games/reading books/practicing her writing/watching videos on the ipad, bananas, playing with Thomas and her trains, the movie Frozen and her new little characters, finally having more of a playmate with Camryn as she gets a little older, stickers, putting stickers all over Camryn, reading books in bed, the cottage, Deanna's playhouse, her 'best friend' Ty, her teacher - Miss Angie - at daycare (we often get called Miss Angie), going to her preschool classroom, proudly hanging up her schoolwork in the kitchen, craisins, imaginative play with little figurines, telling me or Ryan "you're my best friend!" (when she is in a good mood :)), being independent and making her own choices, dark chocolate, picking out her own shirt and socks, having Camryn repeat words after her while we are driving in the car, listening to the Frozen soundtrack or songs from Peter and the Wolf, snuggling with mama at bedtime, popcorn, carrying all the stuffed animals she can find and putting them in Camryn's crib (and then climbing in herself :)), decorating Christmas trees and celebrating the holiday
Taylor's dislikes ~
Not having a choice, going to the dentist, jam on her toast, not getting to pick the music in the car, having to get ready in the morning, {sometimes} sharing with Camryn - however there are times she is really good about this, hearing the word 'no'. :)
FOUR things we LOVE about Taylor right now...
1. What she KNOWS! Letters, numbers, shapes, colors, describing words, what she can draw, the letters in her name she can write... Her learning from year-to-year will probably always be my number one favorite thing to see as she grows.
2. The fact that she can be so helpful with Camryn, "Camryn do you want to play with me?" "What's wrong Camryn?" "Camryn do you want to read books?" "Camryn do you want the crust from my bread?" ;)
3. Watching her engage in imaginative play with her toys. When she doesn't think we are watching, she will have the most elaborate little stories going on with various characters or animals.
4. And this just has to be mentioned (because the OPPOSITE was true when I wrote her "3 year" post) - that she has not had anything to do with diapers/pull-ups since last summer. :) Nighttime, naptime, playtime...our girl is independent, and it is SO so wonderful. :)
FOUR things we wish for her in the coming year...
1. Another healthy year - these past four years in daycare have helped boost her immune system for sure...other than a cold here and there, she doesn't get sick very often at all!
2. I would LOVE to start some pre-reading skills with Taylor, and hopefully by next year I will be able to say that our little lady is starting to do some reading!
3. Start sleeping consistently in her own bed at night.
4. Lots of fun and laughter!
