This Girl

It's been a while since I've done a Leah Loo update, and I'm feeling the need to! 

Leah Loo,

You are 4 years old! I can't believe how old you are! Sometimes I forget that you are still so little, since you've always seemed much more emotionally mature than your actual age. Sometimes I can't believe how big you are! 

You love to talk about how old you are. When you think of new things you want to try, you always put an age on it. You told me you when you are 16 years old you will like to eat burritos for breakfast. When you are 8 you want to take ice skating lessons. Of course, there's being 10 years old which means you can call me "Mom". You are really looking forward to going to the castle at 5. 

You started a new classroom and really seem to like it. Though you still sometimes get a little sad thinking about Ms. Tammy/Ms. Lynn's classroom and all of your old friends from there. The good news is that you have made some new friends and that you sometimes get to see your old friends on the BIG (new!) playground. This year the "girl drama" has begun for you. The past few days you have come home complaining about a girl that is sometimes mean to you. She tries to take your friends away from you, and that makes you sad. We are trying to help you through the issues of this girl, and trying to get you to play with some of the other girls that are always nice, but you just seem to keep coming back to this sometimes nice, sometimes mean girl. You seem to be handling her pretty well, but my heart aches thinking that this type of nonsense has already begun. 

You are such a negotiator! You can make a deal out of anything. You love to make deals. You sometimes make deals sweetly, and sometimes you get firm and have to master negotiate. It's so funny to watch you try to talk me, Daddy, or Juliet into something. 

Your relationship with Juliet has gotten so sweet! You two love to play chase, play in the pink kitchen, and play on the trampoline together. Whatever toy Juliet has, you want. You then go off and find one of her babies and try to trade her. Usually this goes well, but when Juliet doesn't want to relinquish the toy of choice, watch out! You two get in screaming matches. You make up quickly, though, and neither one of you holds grudges. You love to pick up Juliet. She tries to wrap her legs around you when you do this, and it is just about the sweetest thing ever. 

You still love to dress in pink and purple. You love dresses (still the twirlier the better!) and bows. Everyday we talk about how to do your hair. Lately you've been really into piggie tails and  2 braids. You are going to be Aurora for Halloween and we are going to curl your hair. You decided that you don't want bangs anymore, so we are at the awkward going out phase. You don't mind because you get to pick out fun barrettes each morning. 

You are now a FANTASTIC sleeper! Daddy puts you to bed each night. However, lately Juliet has been staying up later, so we've been able to read a few books in your pink bed as a family each night. You seem to really enjoy this! The last book that we read every night is "The Babies on the Bus" for Juliet. You help Daddy and I sing and do the motions, and you seem to enjoy it just as much as Juliet. Before bed, Juliet usually gives on kisses and hugs, and sometimes when you are hugging each other, you shout out, "MOMENT!" because that's what Daddy and I say when you two do something adorable. You sleep all night long!

You love art. Everyday you ask for me to print you out a My Little Pony coloring page from the internet. You have gotten REALLY good with staying in the lines, using different colors, and creating exceptionally lovely works of art. You also love to paint. 

Your favorite "toy" remains books. You can read now, too! You are reading level 8 books with relative independence! I am so proud! You still like to be read to, too, though. We go to the library often and you pick out 6 books. You love Barbie books (gag!), Dora books (gag!), Curious George books, Bernstein Bear Books (you call them the "Dancing Bears Books"), and Mo William books (these are Mommy and Daddy's favorites). You love to read, and books are always littered all around our house. Your love of books and reading and certainly passed to your sister, too. You two argue over what books Mommy or Daddy will read next all the time. You are very possessive of your books, and if Sissy dares to touch one, you are quick to remind her that it is your book, and she can't take it with her. 

You are not a very adventurous eater. You like the same kinds of food over and over again (cereal, chocolate breakfast bars, grilled cheese, quesidillas, chicken, peanut butter and jelly, cheese, and fruit). You have a major sweet tooth like your mommy! 

You are really into movies. The pictures in this post are from our movie date. You and I went to the Penn Theatre to see Despicable Me 2. You really liked it! It's fun that you want to watch "real" movies now. We often watch family movies upstairs on the weekend. You love the Harry Potter movies, the princess movies (of course), and most Pixar movies. 

You are such a GOOD girl, Leah. Sometimes I just can't get over how GOOD you are. You are so, so loved.