Ava at 4

Ava's birthday is coming up on Saturday and our house and my head are full of plans for a Frozen party.  She has been saying for a while that she wants one and I thought she would forget maybe and I would get out of it.  Wishful thinking!  She loves Frozen, knows it all by heart, and how could she forget when it is everywhere?  So we will give it a shot.  I did a superhero party for Jack, so I have to at least try for the Frozen party.  For some reason even though I'm a girl, I have a harder time with the girly girl stuff. I was a tomboy growing up, and I feel that I can handle boy stuff a little easier.  But it's starting to take shape, and that's all I will say for now!  It will be fun!  I love birthdays and I love planning and decorating, so parties are fun for me too.  

I have been trying to take notes for a few weeks of things she says and does at this age.  She is still the more reserved of the two, but it's fun to see her come out of her shell more with people. 

Big girl!  She can -

Put on her own seat belt.  

Swing herself. 

(Tries to) bathe herself (but I still help).

Brush her teeth.  

Can go potty with no help and doesn't have accidents.  (PS. It's so nice to be diaper free!  It's like a $20 gift every time you go to the store!)

Next:  hair!  That will probably take a while longer.  She always cringes at my brush. One time she said, "OW!  That howts that howts that howts!  Why ow you doing that?"

Tries to be grown up - at least in conversation and with her not being able to pronounce everything quite yet...well, it can be pretty cute.  I'm the mom.  I can say that every now and then right?

She says, "Yeah sho!" For yeah sure. 

To Jack:  "I'm not mad at you, Jack.   I'm just sad.  God doesn't want us to be mad at you."

When you hug her, she pats your back.  

Aah little girls!  

Food

Her favorite thing to eat is peanut butter and jelly or as she says "peat buttow and jeyee". She doesn't mind veering off it for a couple of days, but even faced with McDonald's as an option sometimes, she will say "No, they don't have peat buttow and jeyee."  She even asked for it at Downtown Disney.  And sadly, they didn't have it!

Anything green that she doesn't like is a pickle.  

She loves corn and almost any fruit.  

Entertainment

She loves to sing and read and make up stories. It's really amazing what they can learn so early!  But we may have to work on the ABCs.  This is how she sings the end of the ABC Song:  

q ow s y and z 

m o s y and z

Now I know my ABCs

Next time won't you sing with me. 

She loves to take baths and takes all of her little princesses and characters in with her and makes up stories.  It's fun to listen to!

She loves Jack and really looks up to him for the most part, but she can be a feisty stinker of a little sister.  And of course, he's had much longer and more practice at being feisty and a stinker.  So we have some battles every now and then.  If they're apart for a few minutes, there's usually a big hug at least before pulling out the boxing gloves!  

Ava is a girl and a little more sensitive.  She can feel defeated pretty easily and can pout for no apparent reason.  She likes to pretend she doesn't hear you.  I guess there's no obligation that way.  At least in her mind.  But she hugs and loves and smiles and sings, and I hope to see her grow into a kind and loving lady who loves God and others.  What a responsibility and also a privilege and honor to have these few short years to impact her for the Lord.  I'm so grateful for her and for the opportunity.  I know there's so many things I could do better, but God gave her to me because I'm the one He wants to influence her in this way.  Kind of scary and exciting at the same time!  Oh and a bonus!  She loves to shop with me!  She's always up for going in the "cow" (car) with me wherever I happen to be going.  I will hold onto that as long as I can.  

Cake toppers.  She's excited to play with them but only after the party. 

At the pet store

With Daddy