Pictures that make me smile...

Lucy was the only one who would say "giddy up" to the horsey. I was so shocked because usually she is the quiet shy one, but she just smiled the whole time she was riding.

Brandt was chasing the dog around the barn. He loves animals and gets so excited to see them that he just wants to squeeze them.

I put a baby Einstein movie on while I went to make dinner, and I looked in the living room and found them like this. Too cute! They will also sit on the chair together, and one time Brandt was lying on Lucy's lap. Melt my heart.

Brandt loves Lucy's new rain boots. He can usually get one boot on and then he carries the other one to me saying

"mama, mama, mama" which means, please put this other one on for me. He'll walk a few steps, sit down, take them off and we start all over again.

Elmo

Oh how Brandt loves Elmo. The funny thing is that we don't even watch Sesame Street. It's just from books and his cups that he has learned about Elmo, but Elmo has evolved into more than just Elmo. He will yell "Elmo, Elmo, Elmo, Elmo" for any character that he may see. So if we are in the mall and walking by the Disney Store, he just goes crazy, and it's Mickey, not Elmo. He just makes me laugh. I don't even know how many times a day I hear "Elmo", or how many times a day I hear "what" from Lucy. Oh my! I think she just says it out of habit because once I've said it twice, I will just look at her and wait, and then she will realize what I said. She must have a lot going on in that pretty head to take in all that a mama has to say.

The other day Lucy asked me what I thought heaven would be like, so I started describing it how I picture it and she sat there starring off into space with this grin on her face and small giggles. Then all of a sudden she said "I think I like that." I think I do too, Lucy, and it's going to be more than we could ever possibly imagine.

4 years old

My sweet girl turned 4. I can't believe it. We kept telling her that she couldn't turn 4, and that we would go backwards now and celebrate 2 again. She told me, that if she woke up on her birthday and she was bigger than she would be 4. If she woke up and she was smaller than she would be 2. She's too smart for her own good. So she turned 4 and we had a great day celebrating! It was such an answer to prayer to be blessed with an absolute perfect day. We rented an inflatable, and it was dropped off around lunch. Lucy jumped from the time we got it until it was picked up around 8:30, only to stop and eat and open presents. We were all exhausted. We had most of our in town family, plus my parents and my aunt and uncle, over to play. We had spaghetti, broccoli and garlic bread requested by the birthday girl, and an Ariel in a pink dress birthday cake. I always tell people that Lucy will love any gift, and she showed that when she opened one of the gifts from my parents that had clothes in it with the hangers. She pulled out the hangers and said very excitedly, "I got my own hangers." I almost cried because I feel so blessed to have such a joyful little girl. It was such a fun day, I was sad to see it end. I think birthday's are just as special for the mama as it is for the child.

In honor of turning 4, here are 4 things that you learned this year:

1. How to read - you can read pre-level reading books and some level 1 books. You just amaze Daddy and me at your desire to learn and how quick you catch on to things. The Lord has great things planned for you. The first book you read, Daddy and I just kept glancing at each other in amazement that you were reading. It was so fun!!

2. You learned how to make your bed.

3. You've become a big helper. You can do small jobs for me and help Brandt. I don't know what I would do without you.

4. How to write quite nice. You love to write notes to me and leave them around. If you know someone is coming over you will make a card for them or draw a picture. You're just a sweetheart of a girl and I am so proud to be your mama.

Lucy, my sweet girl, we love you so much! You bring joy to everyone you meet, and you make us smile just looking at you. We can't imagine a more precious daughter. It's an honor to be your Mommy and Daddy.

Happy 4th Birthday!!