GONE!

This was the most dramatic cut she’s ever had done (and the most scary haircut i’ve given). I prayed as I was chopping away that she wouldn’t regret her decision, and that I wouldn’t ruin her hair.

Thankfully, she loves it-and so do I.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGhuJrPkUAw?rel=0]

When we were in palm springs Finley got on a kick of making up her own songs for Jesus at bedtime.

{it was her request to be recorded}

heading out to her first big kid drop off party.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISSfnaAPOG8]

i’m so relieved that i haven’t passed on my terrible memory to our children.

today was a very special day for this little lady. she got her ears pierced!

she’s watched both her baby sisters get theirs done, but she has adamantly declined each time.

so we were really surprised when she randomly had a change of heart and started asking to get hers done too. we waited a while to make sure she was really serious, and as you can see-she was. she chose the pale pink diamonds, and boy are they pretty!

i was so proud of her for actually going through with it, and she didn’t even shed a tear! this one never ceases to amaze me!

last weekend our first baby turned 4! somehow the lucky little lady ended up with 3 separate celebrations.

first, we had some friends join us at the bounce house down the street.

then we had a few family and close friends over for some ice cream.

and finally, she went on a special birthday date with just mommy and daddy. this year she wanted to go to dinner at red robin and listen to justin ‘beaver’ in the car REALLY loud. done and done.

i was so proud that our shy girl agreed to let the waiters sing happy birthday. it could have had a little something to do with the ice cream that came with it…

i loved our special date with the birthday girl, and i know she did too. she was so excited to have our undivided attention she hardly stopped talking the entire night. i tried to ask her a couple serious questions, about life and whatnot, but she mostly wanted to talk about whether or not four year olds still have to take naps.

of course they do.

more on our 4 year old coming soon.

also, there are more birthday photos in the album

 On one hand it’s hard to believe that our first baby will be turning 4 at her next birthday. Four sounds so so so old! But on the other hand it’s hard to deny that she’s growing right before our eyes {hello door slamming and talking back}.

Ever since she watched her first disney movie a few months back she’s been enamored with all things princess. It has made shopping at target with her really annoying, as she can spot princess paraphernalia a mile away: fruit snacks, band aids, underwear, pjs, toys, books, bath soap. We’ve indulged her a bit with these little figurine toys. She loves to dress them, set them up, and then take their picture with my phone. The little boy from our doll house set makes a perfect flynn rider, prince charming, prince eric, etc. And of course she still loves singing along to the disney soundtrack cd, at full volume, with perfect choreography to the beat.

We’ve officially entered into the ‘outfit change’ stage. Several times a day she runs back to her room, changes clothes and chooses a new hair accessory. Each time she requests that i close my eyes so that she can debut herself with a proper ‘ta-da’. The pride on her face *almost*  makes me forget how much unnecessary laundry i do.

Her and adalaide share a room now. We’d been dreading doing this, but it’s actually worked out beautifully. They love it, and because it takes them so long to actually fall asleep I end up with MORE time to myself. genius! The laughter and squealing that comes from their room is so adorable and it melts my only-child heart.

Finley keeps us laughing with her elaborate imagination and crazy vocabulary. Things that aren’t meant to be funny become hilarious when you hear a 3-year-old use words like “suddenly” and “apparently” in her every day language. Over the last year we’ve gotten to know a lot more about her imaginary friend, Jenny. Basically Jenny leads this really awesome life and gets to do all sorts of cool stuff, like stay the night at disneyland and drink wine {not sure where that came from since we aren’t wine drinkers}. Jenny has a whole family who we hear about every now and then. Like the time Finley needed something and I told her to wait until I was done feeding Lyla, and she informed that, “Anuary {like January without the J} can breastfeed the baby and do other stuff at the same time”. Anuary one-ups me a lot… 

She is an incredibly strong willed child, and i’m sure in her perfect world she would rule the roost. Some days I get so tired of hearing my voice say the same things over and over, and over and over. On those days I try to calm myself by remembering that her strong will be a good thing later on in life {i know mine was}. It helps a little, just a little.

She loves to do “set-ups”. The other day we were all laying out in the sun and she got an idea to do a beach party. She brought out cups of water with straws, a little table for our beverages, a potted plant to be the center piece, and a drawing of our family at the beach which she hung with 3,000 pieces of tape off the table. She loves playing house and loves to do set-ups in forts, in our outdoor climbing toy, in closets, and especially in the back of our SUV. Ever since we got our car she’s been begging to go camping so we can make a bed in the back of our car. I don’t think there’s a bribe in the world that would get brian to do it, so maybe her and i will have ourselves a sleepover in the driveway. Unless there is a bribe, Bri? Come on…. 3 little ones, dirt, fire, sharing a bed. Doesn’t that sound like a blast!

anyway, back to finley.. 

she also loves: helping in the kitchen, drawing pictures of our family, riding her scooter, dancing, doing puzzles, and playing in the backyard.

she is a crazy, feisty, fun-loving girl who is going, going, going all day long. in several years when i think back to this age, i will remember her gabbing my ear off, with a huge smile, and a sassy look in her eye. we love her!