And Then They Were Four

Happy fourth birthday Abby & Ellie!



















Four seems so grown up. In perspective to their entire life, they are still quite young. But in perspective of their life to date, they are such little girls now. We have been straddling the toddler and girls section a little when it comes to shopping, but more and more we head straight to the girls section. What a weird feeling that is to be looking for clothes for your "little girls" and shop amongst the big girl stuff.

They just finished their first year of preschool and are now enjoying their summer break. They are already talking about their new preschool that starts next fall. They can't wait!

Ellie, or Eliana as she is now preferring, is our dare devil. This child has no fear. She loves to climb high and go fast. We try to stay balanced and allow her to push her own limits... while maintaining a level of safety. While doing so we seem to make some of our neighbors a bit nervous as they watch her cruise down the "big big hill" at speeds faster than she can peddle. The near crashes seem to send their throats into their stomachs. Almost like watching auto racing, comentary and all. For her, it seems to be a thrill. Regardless of how she makes it to the bottom of the hill, one thing is certain, she turns around and goes back for more. Protective gear is a must with this child! The trip to the ER just over a year ago was enough; we definitely do not need any more skull fractures. Ellie is also very resourceful. If there is something that she wants/needs, she will figure out how to do it or get it herself. Nothing can get in her way. With the proper motivation, she can do just about anything. However, if it isn't her idea and she doesn't see the point, forget it.

Ellie loves to do all kinds of artwork and seems to approach art projects in a similar way. We could spot her drawings out of a pile of kid’s drawings if we needed to. They are very free-form, always very colorful, and always beautiful. She can draw specific/clear objects if she needs to, but she rarely chooses to. She always has a purpose and a story to go with her drawings. She is definitely not detail oriented and her pictures really speak to that.

Ellie is our morning child. She wakes up raring to go in the morning while the rest of us are trying to get our bearings.

Abby is quite methodical about her approach to life. Like Ellie, Abby loves to ride her bike. She also likes to ride down the "big big hill", however she takes a more cautious approach. She'll begin peddling to get herself going, but as she reaches speeds that are a bit out of her comfort zone she will use her feet to manage her speed. Rarely do I find myself nervous leading up to Abby's turn down the hill. While she has taken her fair share of tumbles, it is far less likely to happen and when it does it is at much slower speeds. She is a tough cookie though. Nothing seems to really phase her or knock her down for long. She's always bouncing back and looking for more action without hesitation.

Abby very much loves to do artwork, again taking a methodical and detailed approach. She could work on a single project for days if she is really into it. Some of the watercolor drawing she has created blows me away. Abby also seems to be rather interested in bugs of all kinds. She has an eye for spotting them and observing them really intrigues her. I think it really freaks Mommy out! :)

Abby is our night owl and really struggles with going to sleep at night. She would much rather sleep later in the morning. A fine idea during the summer, but it was really tough during the school year.

Both girls love to read books, take care of their dolls and "baby animals", pretend to cook, help Mommy or Momma cook/bake, swim at any chance, go shopping, and eat out at restaurants.

They both very much love their baby brother. They are both awesome big sisters in their own way.

We love you so much girls!

Love,
Mommy & Momma