My Baby Is FOUR!

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Today I left work at 2:45 and met Mom & Dad at Autumn’s daycare at 3:00 when they have snack time. All of her classmates sang Happy Birthday to her and she was just beaming w/ happiness. It was such a sweet and tender moment to witness as her Mama.

Mom had stopped and gotten her balloons and we tied them to her chair. I brought her headband w/ the pink crowns and then some heart shaped Debbie cakes. We made sure all of the kids had one and then we put 4 candles in hers and told her to make a wish and blow them out.

After everyone ate their treats, I told Autumn she didn't have to stay the rest of the day and could leave with us. She was so excited and wanted to make sure we didn’t forget her balloons. She loves her teacher, Ms. Jennifer.

As we were walking out, Mom was saying how she could NEVER work in a daycare b/c it was making her crazy to see kids w/ their shoes untied, snotty noses, making messes, etc. Dad and I just laughed at her and how funny she is about those things.

When we got out to the car, it was really windy and Autumn’s pink heart balloon detached from the string and blew away. She instantly started crying and freaking out. I just shook my head and laughed to myself b/c such a small little thing completely undid all the fun we had just had. She kept saying she wanted me to go get her balloon and I was trying to explain to her that it’s too far away and too high up in the clouds now. She said, “Papa will get it for me. He go to get a rope.” I laughed at how simple life and it’s problems are to a 4 year old. It was really cute.

Mom & Dad had to run some errands and the weather was actually pretty good today, so Autumn & i went to the park. I kept trying to get a picture of us together, but she kept looking away and her eyes were always closed. This is the best one I could get. We sat on a bench and ate another heart cupcake and just talked for a minute.

Then it was off to play on the playground. Usually I just sit and watch her play and take pictures, but today I decided to be a good Mom and actually get up off my butt and run around with her and chase her and let her chase me. We both had a lot of fun and did a lot of laughing. I love the picture on the left b/c she went up in this tunnel and wanted me to chase her in there but I told her I was too big and she said, “Mama you get little (squat down) and come in here.”

I remember when we used to come to this same park and she was so little that she couldn’t even go down the smallest slide by herself. Now she’s all over the place and doesn’t need any help on the big kid stuff.

I just love her to pieces and am so glad we got to spend time together doing something she wanted to do on her birthday.

We finally left the park and went to Mom & Dad’s to continue the celebration. Autumn had barely walked in the door when she wanted me to put on her fake Dora the Explorer nails she got in the present she opened last night. She LOVED having them on and having sparkly nails like mine. I tried getting her to put her hands up by her face so I could get a picture and she kept pulling on her cheeks and making funny faces.

The nails only lasted about 5 minutes before she wanted to take them off b/c they were getting in her way of coloring and eating. But, I’m glad I at least got a picture of her wearing them and she had fun with them while they lasted. She got this little Princess stamp thing and had a good time playing with that.

I had asked her a few days ago what she wanted for her special birthday dinner and she said mac & cheese. I asked her again this morning and she still had the same answer, so that’s what I made her for dinner. That’s probably the easiest birthday dinner ever to make. I’m sure in years to come she’ll want something a little more complicated.

Mom & Dad only had 1 box of mac & cheese, so Dad stopped at the store on his way home from the clinic and got her 8 boxes of mac & cheese for her birthday. He also got her 4 cans of mandarin oranges, which are one of her favorite treats. Since it’s her birthday, we let her eat her bowl of mandarin oranges in the living room while watching Dora the Explorer on TV.

After that, we opened some presents and Autumn LOVED this shirt she got from Jason & Nicole. It’s SOOOOOO her b/c it’s the cat from Aristocats and it says “whatever.” She wanted to put it on right away.

She also loved the stickers she got and wanted to put them in her blank notebook.

Mom made grilled cheese sandwiches for Dad & Nick for dinner. Autumn sat next to Dad at the bar and wanted to put some of her chapstick on Dad’s lips and she said, “OK, here’s the deal…” She wasn’t able to finish her sentence b/c we all started laughing so hard b/c we’ve never heard her say that phrase before and have no idea where she would have heard it before.

I got out the video recorder and just recorded them sitting there having a conversation about all sorts of things. We had a quick & little FHE (Family Home Evening) and then Autumn & I went home so she could go to bed.

After saying prayers, Autumn picked to sing Away In A Manger, which she has been picking every night for over a month. After that I tucked her in and just sat and talked to her for a minute until I got teary eyed and had to leave. I was thinking about how this moment exactly 4 years ago, my heart was so full with love and how my life changed completely and forever that day. Autumn is definitely one of the best things in my life and I am so lucky and honored to be her mother. I feel a huge responsibility to raise her well and teach her to be loving and kind and good. To steal a quote I heard the other day, “the best part of me is her.”

Once she was in bed, I went over to Christine’s to watch The Bachelor w/ her and Karri and Mary. Before we started watching it, we were just talking for a while about life and what’s been going on. I am so thankful to get to spend time with such incredible women who love their families and inspire me to be better. I was really impressed that the vampire girl realized she was on The Bachelor for the wrong reasons and decided to bow out gracefully so that other girls could have a chance. I thought that was very classy of her. I got home at 11:30, but it was worth being out late, b/c we have so much fun together.