Scarlett is FOUR!

How is she not this small anymore?!

 Katie Scarlett turned FOUR-years-old last Sunday.  I'm not sure how so many years flew by already, but I do know that I'm excited for a million and four more!  Scarjo is me and I love it!  She calls me her bestie.  She is left-handed.  And grumpy!  When she's angry or frustrated she cannot control her body as she freaks out.  Me to a T.  I've learned self-control as I've aged and I'm sure she'll get there...  She cannot tell a lie and even if I'm in the other room when she does something that I've asked her not to do, she'll come find me, tell me what it is she did, and say, "Mummy, I'm so sorry I picked up Winnie!"  How can I get angry at that?!

Scarlett is sleeping in her own room always and wakes us up every once in a while if her blankets get un-tucked.  She sleeps with no less than 5 stuffed animals, no matter how many times I sneak some out.  Of course, Brandy, her monkey, is closest.  When she's hurt or in trouble, it's a toss-up between who she'll cry for; me or Brandy.  I have no idea where she came up with the name Brandy.  I'm guessing she stole it from the local flower store owner's dog's name???

Her favorite color is purple, animals are cats, favorite princess is Belle...or Repunzel, or Sofia the first, or Tiana...depending on the day/hour/mood she is in!  She can play with babies all day, but she really loves to watch Thomas.  She is SMART.  I know I have to say that because she is mine, but even her teacher agrees!  :-)  I hope that she continues to love reading and is nice to her sister more often than not!

She weighs 32ish lbs. and I have no idea how tall she is...we'll find out specifics in February when we go for her four year wellness visit.  Her teeth are still wonky, but less noticeable.  Thank goodness!  Scarlie Jojo goes to nursery school, and while I hate to let her go, I love the new routine and hearing her stories.

Scarlett is getting older and even funnier!  After a discussion about babies being born (I liiiieeeee!), she asked how they come out of the belly button and don't leave a hole.  When "magic" didn't stop the questions, I said they use needles that don't hurt.  She made a concerned face and said, "I don't want to be a mummy, I'll just be a ballerina!"  Ha!  Stuff like that, all the time.

And she sings songs.  Always.  To everything.  Her latest to Winston, "I don't love your kisses, but I do love your love!"  Yesss!  Maybe the next Beyonce?!  Maybe!

I wish I could remember more of the funny things she says.  She makes me belly laugh all the time!

I get so sad when I think about Scarlett getting older and leaving me, so I tell her, "COLBY!"  Then I feel guilty because I'm already laying the guilt for that conversation in the future.  But then I think about her leaving and it reinforces my wanting to make her stay.  Bad, bad, bad!  Or genius?!

For her 4th birthday celebration, I wanted to have lots of friends come to the playground and have a free-for-all with running around fun, pizza, cake, and presents...but then I remembered that it's January in cold, iced-over Maine.  Indoor gymnastics party was almost the same!

Awesome educational game:

From the Clunies with a personalized necklace, "hanitizer," and a Sofia the First poster!  

After a morning filled with yummy doughnut breakfast (tradition!) and opening Auntie Mimi and Lulu's gift early, we were off to Decal Gymnastic for some birthday fun!

The kids all played and did gymnastics for the first hour, then it was time for pizza!  After lunch, more playing, cupcakes & gifts, a few more minutes of gymnastics, then everyone headed home!  Easy for me and fuuunnnn for Scarlett!  Even Poppy got to do some gymnastics...

Love her little strut!

Lulu on the trampoline always makes me smile!  Scarlett was on that trampoline LOTS!  Perks of being the birthday girl!  And Poppy on the bars...you go, girlfriend!

Group shots: without Poppy and with her!

After the party, we were all exhausted, but we rallied and had more festive fun.  Now it was time for the birthday girl to open her gifts from Tyler and me (ME!).  All last week, I thought about and put back and bought and didn't buy a last gift for Scarlett.  It was almost going to be a Water Baby, then it was almost Baby Alive Real Surprises doll.  In the end, I thought the BA doll would take away from her imaginative play (And $55 for a doll that was not an American Girl seemed crazy after she just got Saige!) and the Water Baby was missing her bottle.  Womp, womp.  So when I spotted this $19 real life generic brand baby, I knew she had to have it.  It was a baby who cried and sounded just like a real newborn baby!  Once the decision was made, the hardest part was hiding it from Poppy and her sticky fingers!  I'd say it was a hit:

She named her Poppy Ballerina.  Shocking, I know.

 Here she is tackling the rest of her gifts!  A purple stuffed horse purse, a matching outfit with Saige, a wheelchair kit for Saige, playdoh, a mini barbie, and a birthday barbie; not too much and she was ecstatic!  Mission accomplished.  We spent the next day opening up and playing with her new things, so that she would use and appreciate everything!  Next up...thank you notes!  

Oooor another party!  Two days after the 19th, Scarlett was still celebrating!  Her teacher celebrates her student's birthdays by inviting the family in to bring a special snack and sing "happy birthday!"  That was this morning; we brought mini muffins and fruit and we got to see Scarlett playing with her classmates!  

January 21, 2014