Cora's Foura!

The Little Mermaid cake

The Little Mermaid lego (first real lego!)

Happy Birthday little girlie!  She would hate it if she knew I called her a little girl.  Four-year-olds are definitely NOT little!  She has been waiting for this four-year-old milestone it seems ever since she turned three.  Four to her is a very big deal. It means preschool in the fall and to her it is like she is a "big kid."  I'm so glad she is still really a little girl though!  I keep telling her I'm going to put a brick on her head so she stops growing and every time she explains to me how kids have to grow up and then says, "I tell you every time, mom!"  She sometimes gets exasperated with me (but it's mutual!).

Cora has been a three-year-old joy.  Sure she has her moments of stubbornness and sometimes she gets the grumpies...but overall she is so very sweet and happy.  She is the easy-going one of the bunch right now and gets along well for the most part with her brothers.  She gives random hugs and tells me she loves me endlessly.  This year has been such a blessing getting to spend every day with her at home.  She is the one I can talk to amid the house full of babies and is very proud to call herself my "big helper."  I saw an article recently entitled something like, "When I realized my three year old was my best friend"  I can relate to that!

A day in the life of Cora looks something like this:  She is usually the first one of the kids up in the morning and she wants breakfast which always is synonymous with cereal.  She eats and has a vitamin, dresses in something sparkly and with a skirt, and watches "Wild Kratts", "Curious George", and sometimes "Sesame Street."  Then it's off to play with ponies.  She is usually toting around all of her "girly things" in one of her many bags or purses.  She gets them out to play at various places around the house, but if a little comes too close she packs 'em up and is out of there.  When she plays in her room it is either her bookstore or her store and she is a big fan of setting all of her things out on her dresser and all over her room.  Her room in generally a black hole of everything pink and sparkly in our house.  If Jude is missing the princess to his lego, check in Cora's room!  She has pretty much given up napping since Luke has been born, but she will go lay down and fall right to sleep when she is tired enough.  She is a huge fan of "Odd Squad" tv show and any princess movie.  She has dubbed herself "princess doctor" because she loves princesses and doctors.  She informed me just yesterday that she loves rainbows, horses, and unicorns.  She is girl though and through!  Summer has just begun and she enjoys swinging outside, but is also not afraid to get dirty.  She loves the chicken coop and yesterday was covered in mud from splashing in the puddles.  We read many books together and at night we still sing "Away in a Manger" and then she says, "Let's just snuggle,"  okay sweetie!

We celebrated at the park with cousin Skyler on May 16 (unfortunately you duplicated the famous feat of the three year old park birthday...next year I'll plan ahead and bring extra clothes!).  Then we celebrated at noon on May 22 and the rest of the day was spent celebrating cousin Emily's wedding.  Then on the 23rd we headed down to Council Bluffs for the day and night.  And the summer fun has begun!

We love you Cora Clare and can't with to see what your big four-year-old self will conquer!