4

My Precious Lydia,

You're 4!  You are so excited to be 4!  You have been asking for months if you're 4 yet, or "am I still 'free'?"  It has been so much fun to see your excitement.

Every time I asked you what would be fun to receive as a present, you had different ideas (Elsa and Anna dolls, My Little Ponies, dress up dresses, running shoes with yellow like Hannah and Abby's).  The one idea that stuck every time...the one most important to you:  sour gummy worms!  You are such a crazy girl!  You wanted purple and blue cupcakes, so we made an Elsa dress out of cupcakes.

What have you been up to this year?  So much!  You are still my busy girl...loving to dress up, climbing and jumping off of everything, doing your gymnastics, exercising to my workout videos, fighting off pretend bad guys (you've been introduced to the Incredibles...you're still asking for a mask and a super hero suit), pretending to hunt, and serving up tea parties.  You are very excited to play on Stevie's soccer team this summer too.

A couple of months ago, you became a big sister!  You love Adelyn so much....and you keep talking about your next sister already.  You even helped in our decision to name Addie.  You knew she was a girl throughout most of my pregnancy.  It is so fun to you when it's just girl time....us 3 girls.  You help me get her bath ready.  You pick out clothes for her to wear.  You bring me diapers and wipes.  You love to give her hugs and kisses ..and make her smile.  According to you, she's been smiling at you from the womb.  You've been teaching her exercise and gymnastics moves.  You also asked me to join you the day after we got home from the hospital.  Holding her is pretty special too.  The first week, you would hold onto the handle of her carseat in the car...to make sure she wouldn't fall over.  Such a loving, protective sister...for the most part...but when she cried, you just covered her carseat with the blanket cover because "you don't like that sound."  We've worked on that since. :) Your Grandma H. got you a baby doll and baby doll bath for when she was born, so you could take care of a baby too.  You weren't so interested...you've got the real thing!  You made the doll tub into a sled and rode down the opened recliner from the top to the bottom to the floor....backwards.  Scared this mom to death.  Still not sure how you squeezed into that thing!  You can turn anything into fun...and anything into something a little dangerous!

Your favorite movies are Frozen, the Air Bud movies, Cinderella, Mary Poppins, and The Sound of Music.  When you got your "barilla" you asked if it would make you fly like Mary Poppins.  We saw the Sound of Music this spring at a high school.  This was one of my favorite memories with you!!  You were mesmerized by the whole thing.  The music, the acting, the lights, the scenery.  You sang along, and a man in the audience (who saw you on one of your bathroom exits), thought you should've been Gretl.  When it was over, you joyfully clapped and shouted, "Bye Maria!  Bye!  See you later!"  At home, you asked if you could go to Maria's house.  Maybe some day you'll be on stage.  Maybe some day, you'll be a Maria!  If not, that's ok too.  It was so special to share those moments with you, and I hope we're able to enjoy more musicals together down the road.

You've been really into making crafts and projects ...whatever you think of in the moment: waterpark slides, roller coasters, a hot pink holster for Daddy, bows and arrows, paintings, and stickers galore everywhere.  You now have a craft/project bin to keep your supplies and art work.

Your beloved bunny has been on vacation the last couple weeks.  We're not sure when she's returning.  Yes, she's lost.  You've handled it well.  You still make your brother laugh with your bunny "voice" even in her absence...making up wildly silly stories.  You always have something to say...an answer for everything.  You ordered steak at the restaurant.

You are full of confidence and joy.  It's contagious!  I hope you hold onto that through your 98th birthday!  I bet you'll still be jumping off furniture...even though you'll hear my voice in your head.  You love hard, you play hard...you just do everything to maximum capacity, haha.  You exude what Christ came for...to give us life...life to the full!  I have no doubts that you'll make a difference in others' lives as you grow!  You have already added so much joy, fun, and love in mine!  I love you so much!!  Enjoy #4 to the fullest!

Love always and with a kiss,
Mom