FOUR

Well Lauren, since its your special day I'll give you a break from blogging and take care of this post myself. After everyone telling us that you look like you are four all year long, finally you are four years old! Sometime last summer you became very interested in when your next birthday would be, and for the past 6 months you've been borderline obsessed with when it would be your turn to have a birthday...well girl, you got your wish!

At four years old, you are highly engaging and energetic...SO loving and caring, with a very strong independent streak. Strong willed you are... passionate...opinionated... but you are at heart a people pleaser and you are SO helpful around the house and with your brother especially. You LOVE to have fun and be silly...wrestling with daddy, dance parties and crazy songs abound. You love to be included in anything...if we ask you to help with chores, or cooking, you're response is always a cheery "sure!" You have a tender heart and you usually apologize after your bouts with sassiness. And sassy you are! The past 6 months we've begun to see your little 'tude shine through, whether it be eye rolling or crossing your arms and huffing away. You've even told me a few times "Mommy, you're not NICE to me! I'm never going to marry you EVER AGAIN!" Ohhh me and daddy will have a long road ahead of us in the teenage years, won't we?!

You have so many friends and love to be around other kids. You often take on the role of the leader but if there are older girls around, you will submit to ANYTHING they want you to do! You have a great circle of friends and you give most of them your own special pet names, which is cute. You have even been known to schedule playdates with other kids without even telling mom! Yikes!

You are a sweet sweet child. You already love God (which is our greatest dream for you) and are so sweet in your nightly prayers...always thanking God for your mommy and daddy and brother..and then various combinations of grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends. We love to see your caring side shine through!

If there's one thing about you we can always count on, you ALWAYS provide us "Lauren stories" to share with family and friends of all the insanely mature things that come out of your mouth. Your verbal skills have always been strong, but this year especially you come out with some "zingers"! Daddy and I must be extra careful what we say in your presence (even if we don't think you're listening), because it almost always gets repeated!

We can't wait to see how you will grow and change in your fourth year. You are the absolute JOY of our lives, Lauren. We couldn't love you any more than we do... Praise be to God for blessing us with precious, sweet, loving, rambunctious YOU. We will never stop thanking Him!

Love,
momma and daddy