Yesterday my girl turned four. I’m so happy to see her growing up! I wanted to make the day special for her, so I took off work and we had the best day.

After dropping Liam off with my mom (he was sick again – story for another day), we had breakfast at IHOP where she looked through a book I had given her, then she asked to go to Target to “look at things.” Guys, she didn’t want to look at toys, she wanted to look at “grown-up clothes,” kitchen stuff, and soaps. She’s like a little woman already, except she also wanted to give every mannequin a kiss.

Next we met my sister-in-law and niece Lily at the splash pad, and they had so much fun they could hardly contain themselves. A quick clothes change and we were off to the mall where we grabbed lunch and saw Inside Out. The first time we tried to see it with her it was too late in the evening and we had to leave after 20 minutes or so. This time she was well-behaved the whole time.

MEREDITH: We saw the whole thing!
ME: Yes, you were very good today.
MEREDITH: And I didn’t even toot!

After the movie we got frozen yogurt and rode the teacups inside the carousel. Then we met her cousins at a bounce house and they all played hard there for at least an hour. Sno-cones next, then Meredith fell asleep in the car on the way to my parents’ house. She was slightly grumpy when we got there, but she came out of it and enjoyed cake and a present that she and Liam played with in the bath.

At home, after reading a new book in bed, she fell asleep on my lap and I dozed off cuddled up with her. I couldn’t have been happier.

I can’t tell you how much this bonding day meant to me. Age three was very difficult for us, we butted heads a lot and there were times I feared for our relationship. Everyone told us it gets better with age four, so I have been really looking forward to it. Although I know there isn’t a switch that flips, it’s an occasion to celebrate anyway as I can see her maturing. To have such a lovely day with her on her fourth birthday almost makes me want to cry with gratitude.

An Interview With Meredith On The Occasion of Her Fourth Birthday:

1. What is your favorite color? Pink and purple.

2. What is your favorite toy? Neighbors.

3. What is your favorite fruit? Orange.

4. What is your favorite tv show? Frozen and Ariel.

5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Pasta.

6. What is your favorite outfit? My Friday shirt. No no my Ariel shirt. And another pants Frozen.

7. What is your favorite game? Lava and hide and seek.

8. What is your favorite snack? Mix.

9. What is your favorite animal? Ja-ja (a stuffed jaguar) and a pony.

10. What is your favorite song? Birds. Little birds. 

11. What is your favorite book? Ladybugs.

12. Who is your best friend? Amani and Layla and Arriya and Christian.

13. What is your favorite cereal? Cheerios.

14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play on the playground. On Cameron’s playground.

15. What is your favorite drink? Coke and Sprite and water and milk.

16. What is your favorite holiday? Going to Chris’s house! (Her uncle)

17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Ja-ja. (She never takes this to bed.)

18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Eggs.

19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Hot dogs. And I want Lucas to have hot dogs.

20. What do you want to be when you grow up? Ariel. I wanna be silly as Ariel.

But what do you want to do for work? I want you to pick. No I wanna be a nurse like you. Because you’re gonna be my best friend. And I’m gonna nurse people who are babies and I’m gonna have big boobs.

And there you have it. My boob-obsessed, intensely emotional, people-loving, crazy silly, beautiful four-year-old.