Baby Girl is 4!!

I can hardly believe my "baby" girl is four today!! These four years have flown by, and I can hardly remember what our life was life before our little spitfire entered this world. (Oh wait, yes I can....it was quiet, ha!)

I will always remember the day you were born, because you came a month early and FAST. (To recap Abby's labor story, click here.) You have made it known from the beginning that you are a force to be reckoned with, and who are we to stand in your way!? You will do great things sweet girl, and I cannot wait to see what adventures await you.

Every year, in preparation for your birthday (and this blogpost!), I take a lot of time looking through old pictures. It makes me happy & sad and everything in between to see how much you've changed. You truly have blossomed into this beautiful little girl right before our eyes, but I still remember you as the little chunker with a blonde mohawk at 9 months old :) Let's take a stroll down memory lane, shall we!?

1 week old

9 months old

1.5 years old

2 years old

3 years old

4 years old!!

Here are a few more pictures of you from the past few months. Never a dull moment with our Miss Priss!

Now, in honor of your 4th birthday, I wanted to list 4 of my favorite things about you. In no particular order:

1. Your laugh. (Or to be more precise: your cackle.) Your Dad and I couldn't imagine loving a laugh any more than we do Nate's. But then you came along and you have this infectious cackle that comes from deep within your belly. It's loudest when you're laughing at yourself, which is another thing I love about you. You think you are the funniest person in the world!!!! And next on your list is Nate. You adore your brother and hearing you two laugh together is definitely the best sound in the world. I need to get some video of that by the way, because I want to remember it forever!

2. Your smack-a-roos. You, my dear, give the best kisses on the planet! I don't think you understand the word "peck," which is fine by me. Each of your kisses last between 15-30 seconds, and you hold on for dear life. I love how you pull me in for a smack-a-roo at least 10 times a day. One day, you will be too cool to give me kisses, so I cherish every one of these. (Well, most of them. Sometimes when you insist on smack-a-roos while I'm cooking, or going to the bathroom, or driving, this can get a bit tricky :) I get the most smack-a-roos on Tuesdays & Thursdays of course, when you are home with me. You always declare these "Girls Days!" and ask "What fun thing are we going to do today!?" Your favorite thing in the whole world is to play a game with me. Board game, card game, whatever. I don't think it really matters to you, you just revel in the one-on-one attention :)

3. Your fashion sense. (Or actually, your LACK of fashion sense. Sorry sweetie, you can blame that one on your Mommy! :) You love love love getting yourself dressed every day. I have learned to choose my battles and most of the time, I let you get your way. Your style can be summed up in one word: Pink. I think it's pretty hilarious that of all people....I'm the one who gets a daughter that loves pink. Ha! But seriously, if you could wear a pink shirt, pink tutu, pink leggings, pink socks, pink shoes, and a pink bow every day, you would. I have to be honest, sometimes your pink outfits take a little extra time staying in the dirty laundry pile ;) but it's just because you have SO MANY OTHER cute outfits that I want you to wear!! Another curious thing about you....every night after dinnertime, somehow you get "hot" and your pretty pink clothes feel the need to come off. Usually this coincides with a dance party, gymnastics routine, or cheering with your pom-poms. You just like to be free I guess! :)

4. Your nurturing side. Although you quite the little firecracker, you sure do have a soft & nurturing side too. You love playing "Mommy & Baby" with the girls next door, and I have never seen a little girl hug her babies so closely at night. You have about 10 that you rotate in your bed. You love to fix your babies food, have tea parties, read them books, wrap them in blankets, take them on walks, and sing to them. Oh how you sing to them! You are going to make a wonderful Mommy one day, my sweet girl!

Every year, I ask you and your brother the same birthday questions, and it's so fun to see how your answers change (or don't change). Click here to read last year's survey. And here are the latest answers:

How old are you? Four

What makes you happy? Family

What is your favorite animal? Little duckies (WTH!? She has never talked about ducks, ever.)

What is your favorite thing to eat? French toast

What is your least favorite thing to eat? Lettuce

What is your favorite thing to do? Play with Nate

What is your favorite TV show? Team Umizoomi

What are you really good at? Singing songs

What is your favorite movie? Cinderella

What is your favorite color? Pink

What is your favorite song? "Pom Poms" by the Jonas Brothers

Who is your best friend? Nate

What do you and your Mom do together? Play games

What do you and your Dad do together? The Impenetrable Game (basically, wrestling!)

What is your favorite sport? Gym-nack-stics :)

Where is your favorite place to go? Beach

What is your favorite book? It was a tie – Cinderella & Sleeping Beauty

What do you want to be when you grow up? A Mommy

Abby Reece, you are the light of our lives. You challenge us, surprise us, and make us smile everyday. You are a true original and we love every piece of your complicated, silly, beautiful, sassy, inquisitive and gentle spirit. Life would be dull without you!!