sass.  that word alone sums her up here recently.  the other day in Target she was demanding this and that and I kept reminding her to talk politely, say please, etc.  finally, she looks at me, exasperated, and says “Mommy, I’m all out of pleases today!”.  I told her then I was all out of “yes’s”.  she proceeded to scowl at me for a bit, but got over it.  she’s always thinking, the wheels are always turning and some days i feel like i just can’t keep up with her and her constant antics.  when people ask me about the differences between parenting the boys vs. my girl, i always easily reply “my girl is twice as much work as my boys put together”.  and it’s true.  but she’s fun.  and funny.  and she adds so much to our family.  her laughter.  her moves.  the way she is always creating something.  she’s a dog.  and a dancer.  and a snuggler.  she has a wonderful, big, open heart and a curiosity that is always reaching and wondering.  she loves her dog more than the moon and tolerates her brothers about 80% of the time.  she’s our honeymoon baby and our memories of her being a newborn are clouded with hurricane katrina, evacuating and rebuilding.  she’s animated and funny and she uses those big blue eyes to their full potential.  everything she thinks, comes out of her mouth, which is both enlightening, entertaining and a little scary.  she loves school.  and lily.  and going down the slide.  she wakes up a few times a week and says “hey I know, let’s go buy a cat today!”.  she doesn’t like things on her face.  or the hot setting on the blow dryer.  or drinks without straws.  she loves school, and cutting and drawing and anything craft related.  she’s moving up to the 4-5 year old class early this summer in pre-k to keep her engaged.  i told her chuck-e-cheese closed down last year and she believed me until about a week ago.  she was not happy about that, at all.  she’s a loud laugher and she loves the way her daddy carries her to bed, almost upside down, every single night.  she’s my girl.  my wonderful, fabulous mess, and i wouldn’t trade her for anything in the world.  i cannot believe she’ll be four in a few months…..where have the days gone?

((I couldn’t decide which version I liked better so you get both))