Anna is Four!

It amazes me that it's been four years since Anna joined our family. Sometimes I look at this silly, chatty, stubborn little creature and then look back at photos of my rosy-cheeked little Boo Bear and find it hard to believe they're the same child. . .


. . .although she's still got hair just as blond and eyes just as blue as back then.

Anna is our family's "Fancy Nancy". I can't remember the last time she wore jeans; these days it's all about dresses, well-accessorized. The other day after getting ready for church, she asked me how she looked, and I told her she looked fine. "No," she insisted, "tell me, do I look cute or do I look adorable?" Yikes.

She'll acquiesce to wear regular clothes when we leave the house (because Mommy makes her), but she insists on wearing one of her many dress-up outfits for breakfast at least. In fact, if we're going to someone's house she'll usually put on her street clothes but pack a spare tutu to change into once we arrive.

owl dress + monkey tights + pink cowboy boots = high fashion

Lately Anna has been talking about what she wants to be when she grows up. The top contenders so far are a mermaid ballerina, a mommy kitty, or a girl frog. I hope I can talk some sense into her soon; otherwise it's going to make for a very interesting Career Day at preschool. Just how do you dress a 4-year-old as a girl frog?


Anna loves to help out around the house. . .sort of. Her favorite jobs are to help do laundry and cook--especially treats, like apple pie.


For a long time, Anna was a complete dairy addict. One day she offered to make her own lunch and then proceeded to open the fridge and take out the milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, a brick of cheddar cheese, a bag of shredded cheese. . .Whether it was just a phase she outgrew, or whether getting those honking big tonsils removed has made it easier for her to eat, she's been eating a lot more variety since her tonsillectomy. She doesn't consume yogurt in mass quantities anymore, and her cheese addiction has abated somewhat. The next time you're at our house, though, take a peek at the butter dish and you'll see that someone or something has been nibbling away at the stick of butter. . .No, we're not overrun with mice; it's Anna. She'll open the fridge to browse for a snack, and while she's considering her options she'll pinch off bits of butter to eat.


Anna is still very much the high-spirited, full-of-smiles child she's been since she was a baby. There's a stormy side to the sunny personality, though; she can dig in her heels with the best of them, and she's a gifted little sister, knowing just what to do and say to drive her big sister crazy at times. Despite the contrariness, though, at the core she's a tender and kind-hearted critter. For this birthday Aunt Kellie gave her a watering can filled with Ring Pops, one of Anna's favorite treats, and without any prompting Anna reached into the watering can and began handing out Ring Pops to the cousins gathered around her. So sweet.


Happy birthday, Anna! You're such an important part to our family. . .We love you!