My Baby is 4

I'm not sure how it happened, but my little bitty baby is FOUR. She had a lovely birthday enjoying things she loves with people she loves.

She woke to the usual streamers and balloon covered room, and also found a little present Jillian left her--the mad figure from Inside Out (Adrienne loved this guy in the movie). She also found her birthday shirt (I don't reveal the shirt until the big day) and was excited to find her beloved Bubble Guppy Molly on the front.

I made my pancake and blueberry lover some blueberry pancakes, complete with "fire". She ate 4 of 'em!

A little posing before heading out to Oxbow. This is Adrienne's new favorite hairstyle--"Shrek ears"

My suddenly very big-looking girls outside of Oxbow

Our friends arrived! The fearless four. Note that J and Will are holding hands as per usual. We've got our eye on them.

We wandered around Oxbow, petting animals, running free, and taking a short little nature hike (until the terrain became too sketchy for Baby Jack in the jogger)

Still arm in arm, these 2.

After Oxbow, the birthday girl requested Potbelly's for lunch. We all knew it was not for the PBJ she would order, but for the chocolate shake. This girl loves her a chocolate shake. "Mom, Potbelly's is great because you don't even need to order water! You just drink a shake!" And drink a shake she did.

We headed home and the girls enjoyed some of Adrienne's gifts from the Tauntons. Then she got a surprise visit from Calvin, complete with sweet little card and some gifts. We enjoyed visiting with Emily and 3/4 Fletcher kids.

Daddy finally made it home at 6 with Adrienne's requested meal--"Pizza Hunt". Cheese pan pizza for the birthday girl it was. Then it was time for some gifts.  Here she is posing with her beloved Elsa singing doll ("What I always wanted") that Jillian of course gave her, and wearing an adorable Elsa sundress that Aunt Angela made for her! She was delighted!

 Soon it was cake time. I couldn't let my sugar loving girl miss out on a cake just because she had her party a couple weeks early. I made her this fun little surprise cake--double layer chocolate with chocolate buttercream, covered in kit kats and m&ms. This kid loves sugar like no other (She also loves the song "Sugar" by Maroon 5 and can belt it out, though I'm sure she thinks the song is literally about sugar. I'd like to keep it that way).

Oh Adrienne Elizabeth. You are precious. More precious than I can even find the words for. You are hilarious, a real jokester, and we all look to you to lighten the mood. You are a definite mama's girl and I looooove that.  You touch my face and hair often, telling me "I wuv you more dan anyfing, mom". You always reach for my hand when we are walking, even when it's not necessary for safety. I want to squeeze it tight and never let it go, for I know this stage will pass, just as all the others have, far too soon. Although you tell me you have to grow up ("I can't stay small, Mom"), you do promise you will always be my baby--and I'm gonna hold you to that. May this year be full of good stuff for you. Your mama loves you.

June 30, 2011--All fresh and new

June 30, 2015--Four and fabulous