Our little girl is four. Our free spirited, strong willed, princess loving little girl is four. God has richly blessed us with Emma and he has also richly challenged us with her. There is rarely a quiet moment with this one (unless she's using her ninja skills to crawl into bed with us). When she doesn't have a question to ask, a comment or smart remark to make she can be caught narrating her day. It is amazing to watch her grow in every which way and it is so hard to believe how big she is getting. She will be starting preschool soon and she'll be starting kindergarten before we know it. She strives most days to keep up with the big kids, but she also loves being the hand-holding, hug giving, teacher to the younger children and especially to her little sister. I can't wait to see where life takes her. While I pray for patience daily when it comes to parenting her these days, I see God using Emma to teach me patience everyday as well. There are so many lessons to be learned from a child and Emma demonstrates many of them brilliantly. I could not be more thankful for this forgiving, resilient, curious girl.
In honor of her fourth birthday I'm also giving a look back at her third birthday, which never made it on the blog last year. Not surprisingly to those who know her best, she asked for a princess party both years and I obliged...
The requests for birthdays 3 & 4 were quite similar - princess balloons, rainbow flowers and lots of Anna & Elsa!
The little princess protecting her gifts...
Prepping all of the princess garb to give to her friends upon arrival.
Bubbles and a princess bounce house.
Bouncing princess.
One of the most fun and easiest cakes I have ever made!
Nothing's sweeter than a bunch of little kiddos singing Happy Birthday...
Opening gifts with Grandma Souders.
How we miss our other sweet girl.
Princess Elsa with Grandma Jones.
Cheesing with Grandpa Jones.
Birthday #3 was pretty special with all of Emma's grandparents.
Last family photo in our south city house. Loved that place.
And birthday #4 in Sydney...
One has to practice being a birthday princess a few days prior to the big day.
Twas the night before her birthday and mom and dad let her open her gift early...
While one of us was up early getting ready for the party, the others slept...
Every good princess needs good princess food - magic wands.
Rapunzel bread braids.
Crown sandwiches.
Cinderella's pumpkin carriages.
Initially Emma wanted me to make her cake, but then she remembered the Frozen cake at the grocery store. I could have gotten off the hook easy, but making this one was too fun, so we just had both instead!
Elsa even came to paint faces & make balloons!
One happy rainbow butterfly was the trendsetter of the party.
Emma used to have a summer birthday, now it's a winter birthday. Luckily we still had a beautiful (albeit slightly cold) day at the scooter park.
We at least tried to get a family photo amidst the chaos.
Birthday cake was served and for about three minutes all the children were quiet and still.
We had a full afternoon after her morning party - and riding the ferris wheel at Darling Harbour was a top priority for Emma.
Views over Darling Harbour from the top.
One happy princess post ear piercing, bus card buying (she's been waiting since the day we got here to turn four and get her own card), and riding the ferris wheel with daddy.
Safe to say the day wore her out. In fact, it wore ALL of us out.
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