A is four. FOUR! I’m trying to remember the day she was born and although it’s still pretty vivid in my head it feels eons ago. And she is so big. So grown up. So complex. So much a person.
She has waited for her birthday with moderate amounts of patience for about a month. I think it dawned on her that this is going to be a major turning point when her friend O had his 4th birthday party. We marked her birthday on the kitchen calendar but we repeatedly had this conversation: “Is it my birthday today? Is it my birthday tomorrow?”
A had pointed out the things that she wanted for her birthday at the toy store. Polly pockets and a Groovy Girl (thank goodness it wasn’t more Critters!). And we discussed cake – A Dora cake was immediately vetoed by me and we settled on a flower cake.
Birthday party was a huge success thanks to L who organized the activities, the treats and getting the kids going. I think A had a good time. It looked like her friends did. There were no tears. She couldn’t wait to open her presents and sneaked into the house to open the ones she could find.
After nap she came up to me and handed over her pacifier and said she doesn’t need it anymore. That it’s time to give it to Peggy (our designated baby beneficiary). L and I were pleasantly shocked that she just handed it over with no fanfare. We did talk about it for a while, but didn’t really know how it would all come to be. And now it’s gone. And A is four and she doesn’t need (or ask for it) anymore.
And A is amazing. She drives me crazy, but she is truly wonderful. She has grown so much in the past few months. And things just suddenly happen. She draws people with fingers and feet and hair and clothes. And she colors things. And she LOVES to draw. And she can count – really count things, not just say the words. And she is picking up writing. And she can jump, and climb ladders and twirl. And do somersaults. And she asks so many complicated questions I need to think hard about. And she gets all wound up in her emotions and surviving those tantrums without losing it myself is SO HARD. But she is my wonderful girl. My lovely A.
