My sweet Hazel Grace,
You are a silly, wild four-year-old who continues to radiate life and love. Your fiery personality continues to grow along with your height. You live with gusto and are up for any adventure that awaits. You are extremely social and adore being with your besties—Lizzie, Brady Mae, and Hannah. You want to be a part of everything and love to make people laugh. You love doing projects, painting, drawing, reading, and practicing school. Staying in hotels is one of your favorite things, and you frequently inquire about when the next trip to one will be. Singing and dancing are popular pastimes.
You give unlimited kissy huggies and are a big snuggle bug. You run super fast, and I can see sports in your future. You learned to ski this year and took a ballet class. Being on stage for the recital was a real highlight. You're incredibly engaged in swimming lessons and can almost swim independently. You've graduated from the balance bike to training wheels and love to ride. The pajama obsession hasn't faded. You've learned to pump yourself on the swings and look so peaceful closing your eyes and swinging away in the backyard. You play with Beau for hours on end and adore any animal you see. "I love you, goats! I wish I could snuggle you and come in your cage!" Stuffed animals are your favorite toys.
Getting you to do daily tasks is almost always a struggle, and many hours in the last year have been spent telling you to put on your shoes and buckle yourself into your car seat. Bedtime has morphed into you getting into bed around eight and playing quietly until nine, nine-thirty, or even ten. You sleep in on occasion but are often up by six-thirty. Somehow this routine provides adequate rest. After books we do your "prays" with a back scratch and listen to Baby's First Hymns on Alexa.
Your vocabulary resembles an eight-year-old's given that you've picked up all the slang from your brothers. Hearing your little voice reference Pokémon and Minecraft cracks me up every time. You move and talk allll the time, speed and volume both high.
You are the perfect combination of tender and fierce—equally willing to help others and stand up for yourself. You possess the same single-minded determination that was used to describe me as a child and has served me well all my life. I love that as the youngest child and only girl, you are tenderly adored, but you don't fit the "princess" description people like ascribing. Dolls aren't really your thing, and you will generally choose the blue hues over the pinks. Being the third born and having a summer birthday have matured you faster than I've anticipated at every stage. As a just-turned four-year-old, you're starting pre-kindergarten and are SO eager to be with your peers. There are no tears with drop-offs. Witnessing your learning and growth continues to both amaze and challenge me.
You are deeply loved and treasured. I am eternally grateful for all that you are and the gift of being your mama. I pray that your fourth year is full of learning, loving, and adventure. I pray that you'll always be rooted in love and grace.
xoxo,
Your loving mama
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