Taylie

I know that I am way behind on posting. Part of being behind is realizing that you are behind and how much you have to do to catch up, and it is overwhelming. What started it in the first place is realizing that my baby girl is 4! I have had a really hard time squaring with the idea that she is already 4. I mean, I can still count 3 years old as a toddler or even my baby still, but now she is a preschooler. A horribly independent preschooler who rarely needs me for anything more than filling up her sippy cup (because she tried that herself and found hot water, now she just leaves that to me) and zipping up her coat (mostly because I haven't let her try it herself). She is just growing so fast and it stinks. But let me tell you about my little baby girl...

• First of all, anybody who has met Tay knows that she just has this horribly cute personality that will pretty much make everyone love her, and they don't really have a say in it. It is like her own gravitational pull.
  
• She has this incredible zest for life that causes me headaches now and leaves me drop dead tired at the end of the day, but I honestly hope that she never looses it and is able to carry it with her the rest of her life.
  
• Taylie is incredibly curious and even though she seems to not be paying attention, seems to hear everything.
  
• Me and the Dr. are keeping a close eye on her for ADHD. It is either that or she is just really that busy....*sigh*
  
• She does an amazing job taking care of her brother, even when he is being a ginormous turd.
  
• She loves to help with e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. Sometimes it is great, I found that she has cleaned my room one day and made my bed because she "wubs me".
  
• She has started preschool and loves it. I am super surprised she hasn't been kicked out for non-conformity, she must have sucked the teachers into that force field I was telling you about...
• Taylie has also become very vocal about her feelings, which is great, until the 2456987th time in a day that I get told that I hurt her feelings for telling her that she can't eat marshmallows in her spaghetti.
• Taylie prefers things messy while Lucas prefers things clean, it makes life more interesting now that they are sharing a room... against her will. I think she does it to tick him off...(Have I mentioned that? I will post on it sometime)
• Taylie has made it very clear that she does not want the new baby to be a boy or a girl but that it better be a puppy she can play with. She is adamant about it being a dog. Still not sure how she will handle that disappointment. (I am sure you know I am pregnant. No? I will post on it sometime.)
• She occasionally thinks she is Taylor Swift
• I love her oh-so-much sometimes
  I can't even believe it

I would tell you that we had a way fun special day for her birthday, which we did, but I am sure to her it was just another day of the awesomeness which is her life. She actually ended up being sick the day of her birthday so she had to miss preschool. That was sad. Being able to open up presents right after breakfast made up for it. What can I say, Jake and I are huge suckers for that girl. Mostly me.

She got a pretty awesome painting set that came with 3 colors of paints, and brushes, and sponges, and a smock and some monster-huge painting paper. (Just because the paper is big doesn't help keep the paint off the table any better, just so you know...) Besides the paint being really smelly, like, worse than old old old man cologne it was very fun. They spent a good part of the morning painting. I figured we couldn't have too much fun ;) because there were still lots of presents coming later that day so I hid her Play-dough factory that she had gotten too. We play with it now numerous times a week. I can't wait till it gets forgotten about and dries up and ends up in my trash. I hate that smelly goopy gunk.

I have let the kids pick out their birthday cakes ever since their 2nd birthday and this year she picked out Nemo to be the theme of her cake. I thought it was totally cute until I realized that the toys on top are actually squirt guns. Stupid Walmart, you should give parents a warning about that type of thing!

Luke was super jealous that he couldn't have the toys, so in a pure Lucas-act of revenge, he got his Woody and Buzz toys from his cake two weeks before and put them on top of his personal piece of cake. Then he pointed out that he wasn't going to share. That is one of the best things about Taylie, she doesn't care!

He didn't want to eat any more because he didn't like being messy...

It must be wonderful to be Taylie :)

For the rest of the evening everybody came over and spoiled her rotten with tons of presents. She spent some time playing with her toys with everyone and pretty much just enjoying being the center of attention and being loved by everyone who wanted to love her! We had a very fun day and she loves to tell everybody that she is now "4 years older up" while she shows them 3 fingers. Good thing she still has another year of preschool. :)

Her stats at the 4 year check up:
Height: about 45" tall
Weight: 39-41 lbs