Build a town with princess figurines and bricks…

Smile for the camera…

Practice drawing pictures of fruits and vegetables…

Display the letters that you practiced writing for Mommy…

Give the dog, who is normally home alone, a lot of attention – including a good belly rub…

Throw the ball for him a bit…

Challenge him to a staring contest…

Try to tickle him (funny thing, dogs aren’t ticklish)…

Then finish with some cuddles…

And when you get cold, you ask Daddy to build a fire in the fireplace…

And pull on your slippers to keep your toesies warm…

Then you decide you could pack a few of these to help with the move…

Or take a break and watch some of this with Mommy…

Or get annoyed when the batteries on your Leapster Explorer run out…

Pout or no pout,  it was a pretty good day!

Dear Gabrielle,

Today was your 4th birthday party.  It was a day of fun, excitement, friends, laughs, and enjoyment.  I wish we could have had more of your friends here to celebrate, but every party has its size limitations.  When you turned 3, I thought 3 was going to be worse than 2.  2 wasn’t that bad.  It certainly wasn’t 18 months…which was hard.  3 started kind of rough.  You were just beginning to grow in emotional maturity.  One day you were super and the next you had a meltdown.  You stopped napping overall.  Once a week we were able to convince you that you needed a nap.  Naps lasted about 1.5-2 hours, but then you wouldn’t fall asleep at night until 10 pm.  What a challenge sleep was when you first turned 3 if naps were involved.

Here you are now…a week away from turning 4.  I just can’t believe what a wonderful young lady you have turned into.  Other mommies told me that 4 was a great age, and they were right.  You are such a joy to be with every day.  This year has been hard since Mommy started working again, teaching 5th and 6th grade music.  You adjusted to your new school so well.  It was like you had been going there your entire life.  You made new friends and bonded with your teachers immediately.  You have really shown responsibility with putting away toys, consciously making good choices, using your manners all the time, and reminding Mommy of things when I forget.  You have shown honesty in that you do not lie to Mommy and Daddy about anything (except picking your nose).  You show compassion toward your family, friends, Jack, other animals, and even strangers.  You tell Mommy that you “love me so much” about 10 times a day.  You are starting to eat a wider variety of foods…well, kind of.  Pizza and spaghetti are still the favorites.  You are becoming aware of how others feel and show sympathy when someone else is not feeling well.  You allow Mommy a break in play time to rest, take a nap, or make dinner without making Mommy feel guilty about needing that extra time.  You are sweet, funny, sarcastic, sassy, intelligent, well-spoken, friendly, and more.  I can’t imagine having a more wonderful daughter.  You make friends easily and it isn’t surprising why.  I hope you are able to do this your entire life.

Just so you know when you reflect on this later in life, here are some of my favorite things that you do right now:

1. You LOVE Scooby-Doo.  I love that you laugh at the jokes in the show and can enjoy a cartoon that was created 40+ years ago.  That is amazing to me.

2.  You love physical comedy.  Anything that falls down, slips, or does something funny with its body makes you giggle.

3.  You tell knock-knock jokes to anyone who will listen.  You love being funny, silly, and bringing smiles to others’ faces.

4.  You LOVE to wear dresses.  If it were up to you, you would wear a dress every single day and a princess nightgown to bed at night.

5.  You just recently learned how to pump your legs on the swings.  You get lots of practice on the swings at school!

6.  You love Jack.  You play with him (especially when you run around the house and he chases you), give him his food all by yourself, and kisses at bedtime.  He loves you so much, too.

7.  You say funny, cute things all day long.  Each morning when we leave for school, you want me to open your car window so that you can yell to Daddy in the driveway.  You always say the same thing.  “Bye Daddy!  Have fun at Butler!  I love you!”

8.  You received a new 16″ princess bike for your birthday from Papaw and Susu.  I have a feeling sometime in the next year or two you might be able to ride without training wheels. When you want to say “hi” to someone when you are on your bike, you ring your bell.  So cute.

9.  You LOVE anything Disney Princess, but especially Ariel.  You enjoy playing/singing anything that has to do with Ariel.  She is definitely your favorite!

10.  You love to pretend play anything that someone will pretend with you – store, make-up, beauty salon, babies, dollhouse, etc.

11.  You color VERY well for your age.  You enjoy coloring and your coloring is so impressive.  Mommy and Daddy are seriously amazed with how well you can stay in the lines, choose colors that are similar to reality for your pictures, and color very small pictures.  You are the queen of fine motor skills.

12.  You love to run around the house naked before your bath.  You think it is hilarious to strip off your clothes and run around downstairs while yelling, “Nakey Time!”

13.  You want to be like Mommy in every way possible (except for wearing pants and ponytails that is).  You say that you want to be a “teacher and a mommy” when you grow up.  You constantly watch me and will sit just like I am.  You want your hair flat-ironed in the mornings when mine is flat-ironed.  You want to color the same pictures that I pick out of coloring books.  It is so flattering that you would want to be like me and makes me a better person trying to set a good example for you.

14.  Almost once a day, you get “love tears” thinking about how much your love your family.  It warms my heart and brings tears to my own eyes.

15.  You are so, so appreciative of anything – gifts, something someone does for you, our time, etc.

16.  You are wonderfully loving.

I couldn’t have picked a better daughter.  You make me laugh, cry, and sometimes want to pull my hair out, but those moments are few and far between now.  Most of our time together is spent being happy, and that is so enjoyable.  Thank you for making me happier than I ever thought I could be, Gabby.  I love you so much and cry my own love tears all the time because I am so thankful that God put you in my life.

Happy 4th birthday, sweetheart.

Love,

Mommy (or “Mama” as you still often call me)