Someone is FOUR today!

Today, my precious, beautiful, sweet, joyful, spunky princess turned FOUR. I just can't believe it. It seems like just yesterday we were in China celebrating her third birthday, watching her share her Chinese, "Anna birthday" sponge cake with her new little sister... Time flies.

I think that if you asked her, AC would say today was up there on her list of the best days ever. We had to make it extra special... after all, you only turn 4 once! Over the weekend, Drew had taken Booie to the pet store to pick out two goldfish, which she named Nemo and Teddie. She has a few fish books and had been begging for fish. She has been SO excited. Anyway, last night I pulled out "Finding Nemo," as she had never seen it before. I have home sick from school, and was again today, so when we had both woken up, we put it on... she LOVED it. Then she went off with Mom, Kate, and Grandma, who is visiting, to pick up something from the mall and head to On The B*order for lunch... her favorite! They came home and she and Kate helped me make AnnaClaire's cake ~ chocolate with Ti*ffany blue icing and chocolate sprinkles! Then it was for a story and nap time...

Once Booie woke up, she posed for a few "4 year old pictures" for me and then read a birthday book with Mom... then it was off to Chuck*ee*Cheese to meet Dad and Drew for birthday pizza, games, and rides. AnnaClaire has been talking about going to Chuck*ee*Cheese for her birthday ever since we went when our aunts were visiting. It was just as fun the second time, and she even got to meet Chuck*ee this time! We also won lots of tickets and both girls got to pick out light up princess wands as prizes!

We went back to the house and sung happy birthday to our sweet birthday princess. Daddy even picked out a Do*ra balloon and brought it home for her! Her face was just glowing and her smile was one of the biggest I've ever seen. Her face as we sung to her, her eyes gazing into her candles, was priceless. Never have I seen someone so excited about birthdays as our sweet princess... She loved every bit of her cake and then declared that it was time to open all of the presents she had!

She opened each one with such care, each time looking into the gift with such awe before moving on to the next one. Her friends and family spoiled her! She got a Ve*ra Brad*ley duffel bag and an easel dry erase board/chalk board from Grandma, a princess game from me, a purse and doll from her other grandma, books and movies from her aunts and uncles, an Ar*iel doll from her best friend, Mia, a $10 bill from her great aunt, the Wh*ere the Wi*ld Thi*ngs A*re book (she fell in love with it one week at "Dad 'n me" story time!) from Mom and Dad, and a Pla*smaC*ar from Mom and Dad, something we had seen during our trip to TN that she had just fallen in love with... her reaction to that was PRICELESS.

She rode her car around, put some goodies in her purse, read Wh*ere the Wi*ld Thi*ngs A*re with Daddy, and brought up some of her loot to put on her ottoman, where she puts special things before bed. Then we all gave her some special birthday kisses and turned off her lights as she fell asleep... the end of her 4th birthday, but just the begginning of another fun year to watch her learn and grow in all the ways that FOUR year olds do.

Happy birthday, my precious girl! I love you to the SUN and back! I am so glad that we got to celebrate with you and make your day special in all kinds of ways! I hope your 4th birthday was everything you hoped for! I love you so, so, so much and I am so glad that I get to be your SISSY!

Love FOREVER and EVER,

Sissy