(Abigail proudly wearing her Pumpkin Shell birthday crown and her favorite dress in the world!)To the sweetest, most expressive 4 year old I know.
In my annual tradition, here is your birthday letter (a little late this year). You began this fourth year with the most medical interventions in your short life...had surgery to remove your "pink angel kiss" (pyogenic granuloma) from under your left eye after it ruptured. Fortunately, the granuloma removal was a success with minimal scarring (should dissappear after you grow a bit). You had a second surgery a month later for diagnostic testing/scope done to figure out what was causing your very gassy, painful and cramping belly. Stomach testing was inconclusive, but we have followed your special diet this year and it seems to help your tummy (thanks to Aunt Go-Go's insight into colitis). You eat only cooked fruits and veggies, no juice, limited dairy, and no cow's milk, which keeps your stomach flat and with little gas. We try to re-introduce foods from time to time but no real success yet...cooked fruits and veggies seem to be better for your tummy. Thank the good Lord you are growing well, despite the challenges!
You are full of words all the time...talking non-stop. You are still very active...loving to be on the go. You speak in adult words and come up with insightful phrases all the time that blow me away. You understand much more than I ever thought you would at this age, inquiring about death and war and friendships. You are very tender-hearted, experiencing your first visible heartbreak this summer when you said goodbye first to your best friends Emma and Caine as they moved to Texas and then to your cousin Evie at the train as she returned to Houston after vacationing in Norman. It ripped my heart up to see you bury your head and cry silently with such strong emotion. Since then, you have handled saying goodbye with grace, understanding that most goodbyes are temporary.
You have adapted well to change this year as you transitioned from staying at Ms. Amy's house while Mommy worked to your current school, Pumpkin Shell Preschool. You miss playing with Rachel and mothering Gideon tremendously, but you love your new friends and experiences at Pumpkin Shell. Hard to trade Ms. Amy's creative play and showing up in pajamas in the morning with cereal in hand...but you were ready for the structure and formality of preschool. You also said goodbye to Northhaven Day School 1 x week, but I think Ms. Abby really helped prepare you for Pumpkin Shell with her classroom structure and pre-writing/pre-reading tasks.
Your family and friends are a big part of your life. Nana & Pop moved to Norman this year, and you LOVE seeing them all the time. You said "Can we move next to Nana & Pop so I can walk to their house any time I want?" So sweet! Trips to Texas are big fun too! You spent the week at Aunt Go-Go & Uncle Kevin's house and a week at Camp G&G (Grammy & Grandpa's). You love having your own vacations separate from Mommy & Daddy.
You loved traveling to Lubbock to the Ranch this summer to see Aunt Sherry & Uncle Doug & our winter vacation to Connecticut to see Uncle Billy, Aunt Missy, cousins Jacob & Nate and Reston, VA to see Aunt Nay Nay, Uncle Robert, and godcousin Rebagrace. It was your first airplane trip and first trip with part of it without Daddy. You also enjoyed the trip to Wimberly, TX to see godparents Don Kendal, Gaga Lauren & godcousins Carlisle, Camper, & Evie Claire and lake cabin trip to east Texas to see Aunt Monique, Uncle Jules, and godcousins Darby & Ellis. I'm sure I've forgotten other trips too, but the moral of the story is we are a family always on the go, and you and George are fabulous travelers!!
Sadly, you said goodbye to your great-grandmother Oma this year. You were very special to her and I am very glad that you knew her. I hope that we can keep her memory alive for you. She and Grandpa George were very important to Daddy and I.
You blossomed on stage this year with your dance class at Artworks Academy. You made new friends, loved ballet and tap, and acted very grown-up for being the youngest (and shortest) in your class. You loved being in the center stage and revelled in your independence of being with the girls!
You and George graduated into big kid bunk beds this year and you sleep on the bottom. You must have your two Monkeys and Boomer Puppy to sleep with each day. You still take naps as your little wiggly, busy body is not ready to give up yet. You love to play dress-up and baby dolls. You have been into princesses this year, and frequently go places dressed as such, complete with outfit, tiara, and leopard high heels. You have such a creative mind. One afternoon when you were on nap strike, I peeked into my room where you were supposed to be sleeping to find you setting up my things for a garage sale on the bed! You are already a pack-rat, stashing things in bags and boxes everywhere. You are super messy, fully embracing the artistic side of living. Every day you have stained clothes, messy face, and a big smile!! Kirby gave you your first Barbie dolls and dollhouse this year, and YOU LOVE IT! You play with it every day when we are home. You love pretend play, in fact as I'm writing this, you and George are pretending to be Mom and Dad taking your "kids" (sleeping friends) on a hunting trip to a ficticious town. You are directing George as he "flies" the airplane for your trip. Imagine that!
You are so spunky and still live up to your nickname "The Activity Director". You are a girl who loves to be in control (you come from a LONG line of strong women!) and having fun! You are a little slow to warm up but after a few minutes, you are leading the pack. You have always risen to the occasion, showing your maturity. One of the many things I appreciate about you is your desire to follow rules and take care of others. You have a very compassionate heart, even at age 4. You love to serve others and bring joy. You also have an amazing understanding of faith and love for God. You have definitely been listening during Sunday School and Wed night church.
You are still very attached to me, wanting to hold my hand, be held, or snuggle lots! You love the security that Daddy provides, and long for him to be home for bedtime prayers and stories. You love spending time with Daddy...hiking, swinging, working in the garden, and riding balance bikes to the park.
I love being with you and George two days a week and love the fun we have together.
I love hearing the stories from school when I pick you up.
I love your sweet little singing voice when you turn every day conversations into a song.
I love that you ask for VBS music in the car, reinforcing God's love for you.
I love that you are protective of your twin brother and that you always have to know where he is at all times. He is truly your very best friend.
I love that you are the first to arise in the morning, tapping on my side of the bed to climb in and have our morning snuggles.
I love that you pick out your clothes, matching perfectly, and have to be accessorized!
I love when people tell me you are just like me.
I love your precious smile and high-pitched squeal of laughter!
I love your energy, intensity and passion, though sometimes it makes me pull my hair out!
More than anything, I cherish who you are becoming...the most beautiful, sweet spirit that will grow into an accomplishing, faithful, loyal, and giving woman. I adore you, my sweet baby girl.
love, Mommy
In my annual tradition, here is your birthday letter (a little late this year). You began this fourth year with the most medical interventions in your short life...had surgery to remove your "pink angel kiss" (pyogenic granuloma) from under your left eye after it ruptured. Fortunately, the granuloma removal was a success with minimal scarring (should dissappear after you grow a bit). You had a second surgery a month later for diagnostic testing/scope done to figure out what was causing your very gassy, painful and cramping belly. Stomach testing was inconclusive, but we have followed your special diet this year and it seems to help your tummy (thanks to Aunt Go-Go's insight into colitis). You eat only cooked fruits and veggies, no juice, limited dairy, and no cow's milk, which keeps your stomach flat and with little gas. We try to re-introduce foods from time to time but no real success yet...cooked fruits and veggies seem to be better for your tummy. Thank the good Lord you are growing well, despite the challenges!
You are full of words all the time...talking non-stop. You are still very active...loving to be on the go. You speak in adult words and come up with insightful phrases all the time that blow me away. You understand much more than I ever thought you would at this age, inquiring about death and war and friendships. You are very tender-hearted, experiencing your first visible heartbreak this summer when you said goodbye first to your best friends Emma and Caine as they moved to Texas and then to your cousin Evie at the train as she returned to Houston after vacationing in Norman. It ripped my heart up to see you bury your head and cry silently with such strong emotion. Since then, you have handled saying goodbye with grace, understanding that most goodbyes are temporary.
You have adapted well to change this year as you transitioned from staying at Ms. Amy's house while Mommy worked to your current school, Pumpkin Shell Preschool. You miss playing with Rachel and mothering Gideon tremendously, but you love your new friends and experiences at Pumpkin Shell. Hard to trade Ms. Amy's creative play and showing up in pajamas in the morning with cereal in hand...but you were ready for the structure and formality of preschool. You also said goodbye to Northhaven Day School 1 x week, but I think Ms. Abby really helped prepare you for Pumpkin Shell with her classroom structure and pre-writing/pre-reading tasks.
Your family and friends are a big part of your life. Nana & Pop moved to Norman this year, and you LOVE seeing them all the time. You said "Can we move next to Nana & Pop so I can walk to their house any time I want?" So sweet! Trips to Texas are big fun too! You spent the week at Aunt Go-Go & Uncle Kevin's house and a week at Camp G&G (Grammy & Grandpa's). You love having your own vacations separate from Mommy & Daddy.
You loved traveling to Lubbock to the Ranch this summer to see Aunt Sherry & Uncle Doug & our winter vacation to Connecticut to see Uncle Billy, Aunt Missy, cousins Jacob & Nate and Reston, VA to see Aunt Nay Nay, Uncle Robert, and godcousin Rebagrace. It was your first airplane trip and first trip with part of it without Daddy. You also enjoyed the trip to Wimberly, TX to see godparents Don Kendal, Gaga Lauren & godcousins Carlisle, Camper, & Evie Claire and lake cabin trip to east Texas to see Aunt Monique, Uncle Jules, and godcousins Darby & Ellis. I'm sure I've forgotten other trips too, but the moral of the story is we are a family always on the go, and you and George are fabulous travelers!!
Sadly, you said goodbye to your great-grandmother Oma this year. You were very special to her and I am very glad that you knew her. I hope that we can keep her memory alive for you. She and Grandpa George were very important to Daddy and I.
You blossomed on stage this year with your dance class at Artworks Academy. You made new friends, loved ballet and tap, and acted very grown-up for being the youngest (and shortest) in your class. You loved being in the center stage and revelled in your independence of being with the girls!
You and George graduated into big kid bunk beds this year and you sleep on the bottom. You must have your two Monkeys and Boomer Puppy to sleep with each day. You still take naps as your little wiggly, busy body is not ready to give up yet. You love to play dress-up and baby dolls. You have been into princesses this year, and frequently go places dressed as such, complete with outfit, tiara, and leopard high heels. You have such a creative mind. One afternoon when you were on nap strike, I peeked into my room where you were supposed to be sleeping to find you setting up my things for a garage sale on the bed! You are already a pack-rat, stashing things in bags and boxes everywhere. You are super messy, fully embracing the artistic side of living. Every day you have stained clothes, messy face, and a big smile!! Kirby gave you your first Barbie dolls and dollhouse this year, and YOU LOVE IT! You play with it every day when we are home. You love pretend play, in fact as I'm writing this, you and George are pretending to be Mom and Dad taking your "kids" (sleeping friends) on a hunting trip to a ficticious town. You are directing George as he "flies" the airplane for your trip. Imagine that!
You are so spunky and still live up to your nickname "The Activity Director". You are a girl who loves to be in control (you come from a LONG line of strong women!) and having fun! You are a little slow to warm up but after a few minutes, you are leading the pack. You have always risen to the occasion, showing your maturity. One of the many things I appreciate about you is your desire to follow rules and take care of others. You have a very compassionate heart, even at age 4. You love to serve others and bring joy. You also have an amazing understanding of faith and love for God. You have definitely been listening during Sunday School and Wed night church.
You are still very attached to me, wanting to hold my hand, be held, or snuggle lots! You love the security that Daddy provides, and long for him to be home for bedtime prayers and stories. You love spending time with Daddy...hiking, swinging, working in the garden, and riding balance bikes to the park.
I love being with you and George two days a week and love the fun we have together.
I love hearing the stories from school when I pick you up.
I love your sweet little singing voice when you turn every day conversations into a song.
I love that you ask for VBS music in the car, reinforcing God's love for you.
I love that you are protective of your twin brother and that you always have to know where he is at all times. He is truly your very best friend.
I love that you are the first to arise in the morning, tapping on my side of the bed to climb in and have our morning snuggles.
I love that you pick out your clothes, matching perfectly, and have to be accessorized!
I love when people tell me you are just like me.
I love your precious smile and high-pitched squeal of laughter!
I love your energy, intensity and passion, though sometimes it makes me pull my hair out!
More than anything, I cherish who you are becoming...the most beautiful, sweet spirit that will grow into an accomplishing, faithful, loyal, and giving woman. I adore you, my sweet baby girl.
love, Mommy
No comments:
Post a Comment