Lulu Turns 4

Yes indeed four years ago about this time we met Ms LuLu for the very first time. We really had no idea how fabulous she would become! What a kiddo! She chose pizza and cupcakes for dinner tonight, and is in love with all things Hello Kitty (how did we get pink and girly all of a sudden?? rest assured though she still wants to be Thomas for halloween - phew!)

So - pictures will come, but here's a little more about who she is these days:

Interests: She's really digging doing "artwork" - paints, markers, crayons, stickers. She frequently "accidentally" puts "tatoos" on herself ie draws on whatever skin is showing (thank goodness for Crayola washables..)

Communication: At-Ti-TUDE - WOW! Can't wait til she's a teen (HELP!!) She's got a bit of a hand-on-hip type thing, she frequently refuses to accept her assignments/orders, and tells me daily that she wants "alone time"....I'd be exasperated if only this didnt sound a little familiar (yes mom this indeed is a little funny...NOT!); she's starting to pick up language from other sources - "pretty please" is one of her new favorites, as is "no grown-ups at allowed", and she actually said "first things first" the other day - kids are funny; while she doesn't read, she turns the pages and makes up stories that are often fairly close - and recently she started telling the story in character voices; she's also in that in-between phase where she has a fairly good memory and yet a fairly good imagination - so you're never quite sure which or how much of her stories are true - this is a tough one.

Interests: She's picking up more then she'll let on - that stinker. She can recognize more numbers and letters than I know, but she still doesn't know them all - so we do alphabet puzzles, and letter exercises from grandma (thanks grandma!); she's started dressing up, although mostly hats and scarves - not the princess dresses yet...i don't think we're out of the woods on that one just yet BUT am holding my breath; she loves to play pretend with her stuffed animals - it's FABULOUS - she'll play for 20 or 30 minutes and DOES NOT want to be interrupted...

Mobility: She's unstoppable with the step stool, and if that isn't quite high enough she'll just drag a dining room chair to ... say...the snack cupboard that's way up really high when mom's trying to shower (hypothetically of course!)

Peculiarities: She likes to poke all of her food - just sticks her finger right in it - AUGH - because of course she wants to poke my food too! Um..thanks but I'll pass on ingesting all of the play-yard cooties left on your hands from the marginal washing!; she also likes me to rest my hand on her face after I read her stories so she can fall asleep - she actually picks up my hand and puts it right in the middle of her face - it's too weird - I can't do it...I don't want to be awoken at 3 am b/c she's having smothering dreams; finally she loves to spin in circles - I think its the rush!..i wonder if frilly dresses are just "around" the corner!

Happy Birthday Big Girl!!
Love Mommy!