Grace @ 4 years

Grace turned 4 back in January.  I half-way catalogued her actual birthday in photos...so I wanted to document that here.  And end the post with a little 'what she's doing @ 4 years.'

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Grace's Frozen birthday party was the day before her actual birthday.  So Sunday morning- after all the kids were awake, and after Grace's Elsa hair was attached to her pretty little head...

.....I began making her breakfast of choice.  Pancakes with sprinkles and powdered sugar.

We took a {blurry} picture by her birthday countdown.

And we even sang Happy Birthday and blew out candles for a second time.

{blurry} powdered sugar mustache that she was oh so proud of.

just putting together an ice castle or two...

Her only request on her birthday (other than the powdered sugar sprinkled donuts and candles and singing happy birthday to her…..she wanted to see Frozen a 3rd time.  So we did.  Oh-  and she had to wear the wig.  Which I thought was cute.  And we may or may not have gotten a few "How cute" 's and a few 'what is she wearing' stares.

After the movie….I needed to get gas and decided to go through the car wash.  I realized right before we went in that the girls have never been….and I remember this being a fun-ish sort of thing when I was little.  And it did not disappoint.  :)  They loved it and now every time we drive by they think we need a car wash.  Even on the rainy days.

My sister and her family came over for fajitas….and they were sweet enough to bring over an ice cream cake.  So Grace was able to blow out candles for a 3rd time.  And this time I filmed it.

IMG 0960 from Marla on Vimeo.



If I had to think of a few words (or a lot of words) or phrases to describe Grace….I'd say:
-she's happy 99% of the time
-she has the most tender heart.  gets her feelings hurt very easily when being disciplined and plays with my own emotions.  :)  i'm getting better with this though.  she's flown under the radar for pretty much her whole life….so now that we're home together 2 days a week without parker….she's getting a little more attention….if you know what i mean.
-she'll tell you that you doesn't want to eat a certain thing that you're making for dinner.  you'll make her something she will eat because sometimes you just don't want the hassle of it.  then- not a couple minutes after you sit down…she's wanting to eat the food that is from your plate!
-loves her little brother.  and will just pick and prod and drag….like she has no idea the consequences of this.  bless her heart.  i know she loves me.  but is frequently reminded to step away from the baby. ha!
-she's starting to figure out that she doesn't always want to do what parker wants to do.
-needs frequent (and multiple) reminders to clean up/pick up.  she usually says she's 'too tired' when asked to clean up.
-she still loves for me to hold her.  and sitting here right now….i realize that i need to make a point to do it more.  parker has reached the age where she very rarely wants/needs me to hold her.  and now….grace would probably let me hold her as long as i wanted.  a few weeks ago…geoff got up with parker and nolan and left me to sleep.  grace had gotten out of her bed and had been asleep on the floor.  she woke up…and i saw that she had opened the door….stepped out far enough to see that i was not out there…came back into the room and shut the door.  i told her to come here.  i think she thought she was in trouble, but she wasn't.  i told her to climb up next to me and we just laid there and i held her.  she was so still and didn't say a word.  after about 5 minutes….i asked if she was ready to get up or if she wanted me to hold her a little longer.  and she said wanted me to hold her a little longer.  let me tell you….for grace to lay still and awake for FIVE minutes…this was something!  and just so sweet.
-if i tell her that we are going to do some school work with her….she reminds me that she's not in school now and doesn't need to do it.
-she has the most infectious laugh.  you can't hardly hear her laugh and not laugh, too.
-while she can have her normal 4 year old "me, me, me!!" tendencies…..she is also very kind-hearted.  for christmas she picked out a gift for parker….and she was just so excited to give it to her and knew she'd just be so happy.  and if parker is throwing a fit about something she wants….sometimes grace will just give it to her (i did say sometimes) to make her happy.  just a sweet girl.

she's pretty much just this fun, spirited little girl that has just blessed our lives more than we could ever say or imagine.