In Awe

Wow. Emma turned 4 today. 4. Holy Cow. It seems unimaginable that she could be four. I remember so clearly the day she was born. When she learned to crawl. The first year of her life she slept next to me almost every night. We moved into this house when she was just nine months old. Now she is four. She can be moody and can go from one extreme to another in a matter of minutes...but I wouldn't have her any other way. Her personality is priceless. She loves life. I am so blessed that she is mine.

Emma still loves to retreat into the comfort of my arms when she gets shy, overwhelmed, or is being stubborn about something she doesn't want to do. She loves for me to sing songs to her every night before bed. We sing the same four songs everynight--Twinkle, twinkle little star; I love you; Baa Baa Black Sheep; and Take Me Out to the Ball Game. You have to make sure her closet door is closed all the way before she can sleep. She loves pancakes with peanut butter and syrup on them. My favorite thing she says? "Mommy?" "Yes Emma?" "I love you." It brings a smile to my face, everytime. She is a beautiful girl. I am in awe of her. She is so confident and has so much eagerness. My prayer for her is that she will keep that confidence always. Something I lacked much of my childhood. She recently started gymnastics. She loves trying flips and jumps. I was always so timid to do those things. I pray that she will always follow her heart and do what feels right to her.

Emma is a star. A pink and purple princess. A little sister and a big sister. The best helper ever to me. A great cuddler. A lover of all things of or relating to a doll. She wants to be Fancy Nancy because she loves how fancy the character is. She is an individual. Not afraid to play with the boys. Or tell them what to do. Not afraid to do her own thing.

She's my Emma. And I love her so.