Happy 4th Birthday, Kiddo

Dear Riley,

I can't believe another year has gone by. You are another year older. Four. Seriously, four! Where did the time go? You seemed so grown up when you turned three, and yet here you are doing so much more. It seriously amazes me.

In the past year we've been on multiple adventures. Grand Marais, Madeline Island, Duluth... you've thrown your weight and then some of rocks into Lake Superior, sang your share of songs on hours of road trips, and just have been a trooper in times that you might not have wanted to be.

We chopped off your hair this year. It was big decision and as you got closer to 4 years old you announced that you wanted long hair, but I think that was more about your obsession with princesses. But we love your shorter hair and you rock it well.

Princesses! Your interest in princesses (especially Disney - specifically Arial) has really taken off recently. You couldn't have cared less about princesses a few months back, but something changed. We are even throwing you a princess themed party for your birthday. I can't wait to see your face when you open all your princess gifts.

Your cousins and aunt and uncle visited this year and it became apparent how much you loooove your cousins. We do too and can't wait to go visit them in Luxembourg this spring. I can't wait to see how you handle that trip (or maybe I can). Really, I think you will do fine. As you've gotten closer to four you've seemed to adapt to more situations.

You've recently started reading. Not fully reading, of course, but after watching that sight words DVD a few times you've got a lot of words down. Your favorite book to read - really read on your own - is Are You my Mother.  The first time you read it you were beaming, and so was I. I videotaped it when you read it again and showed it to your dad... and I swear he teared up a little. We are both so proud of you.

You started preschool this year and, while you miss your old daycare, you really have flourished in school. It was hard at times to transition, but you have now embraced school. You share that you love 'rest' time the most and I think that's because you usually spend the time reading to yourself.

You've tolerated me taking a gazillion pictures of you and have even picked up on my photo lingo. You take pictures with your camera and I hear you say "that was too dark" or "that one was blurry". Haha. I worry sometimes that I take too many pictures, but I think you don't know any different and you usually are excited to see the picture I take of you.

Oh, the things we've done that we wouldn't have done without you. You have opened up so many activities and adventures for us. Really, you've brought such joy to our lives. I so look forward to what's to come.

Happy Birthday, Kiddo. I can't imagine my world without you. You are really quite amazing!

Love,

Mommy (aka, memo... mamo... momma)