Happy 4th Birthday Charley Mae!

Dear Charley,

I cannot believe you are four-years-old!  That means you'll be five next year (once again I'm putting the cart before the horse).  You are such a special little girl and just full of personality.  You have a very good sense of humor and come up with all kinds of little antics that make us laugh.  You also find things in the world to be very funny and will laugh hard at those things.  You have grown up alot in the past year! You still seem to have a quick temper but manage it a little better:-)

When you woke up on your birthday Mommy, Daddy, and Ryan came in singing Happy Birthday. You were so happy with a big smile on your face. You said "when I woke up I thought I was 3 but I am 4."

You have blown us away by how hard you have been working at school. At home you are still the baby and act like it some of the time:-) But, at school you are very independent and mature. You have just finished your first workbook this week and Ms. Mona (Neaville) said you followed her around all day yesterday waiting for her to "grade" it so you could be finished and move on to "A Pig Can Jig" which is your first chapter book. You are reading a chapter book at four-years-old.  You are so proud of yourself and so are we. So are your teachers.

Last week when I went to pick you up Miss Sara (Oster) said you wanted to show me how you learned to swing all by yourself. We went outside and you showed me with a big smile on your face.  You love learning to do things to be a "big girl."

You have started going to Sunday School by yourself since Ryan has moved up. You don't love going at first but then you do just fine. You are also in dance class and gymnastics by yourself. You are doing well separating from Ryan.

We celebrated your birthday on the 9th by having your school celebration. Gin Gin and Bubby came and watched you circle the sun four times. You picked Logan to be your sun.  That night they came over and we had macaroni and cheese (your choice). We had ice cream cake for dinner that you picked out.  You could barely wait for them to get there to open presents. You wouldn't even watch t.v. and you just sat in the living room waiting.  The main thing you wanted was a "dream light" off of t.v. Mommy thought is was just cheap junk but you have loved it! You also got a Noah's Arc puzzle which you have already completed with Daddy. You got a monogrammed mermaid beach towel and a North Face pink cap. Gin Gin and Bubby got you a cute outfit you wore to your birthday party and some brown Uggs. Nana and Papa got you a little school kit that you set up and had me clear off some shelves so you could set it up like "work" at school. You and Ryan also got tickets to go to the Polar Express in Branson next month. You both set up the small furniture like a train the next day pretending it was the Polar Express.

On Saturday you and Ryan had your first joint birthday part at John 3:16. You call it "John teen" and Ryan likes to correct you. You had a blast. You both stood at the door greeting people and you would take their gifts and put them in a pile. You had a pink firetruck cake.

When we got home from the party and you had rest time and played with your toys. You painted a firetruck canvas that was adorable (from Milams) and you decorated a jewelry box (from Castleberrys). You danced with a unicorn from the Yarnells.

At four, you seem to be more attached to Daddy. Boo hoo. No, I'm so glad you have such a good relationship with him. You love your sister 99.9 percent of the time. The other .1% of the time there may or may not be random hitting and spitting. It comes out of no where and doesn't seem to be related to anything.

We are so thankful God gave you to our family. I can't imagine life without my precious little Charley.

Happy Birthday (belated)!
Love,
Mommy