you are four

May is coming to an end, and I cannot let it pass without documenting the birthday of a very special four year old.

We celebrated in Utah. The weather permitted some sunshine for a couple hours to eat cupcakes and pizza at one of our favorite parks. Taryn makes me laugh everyday. She is one in a million and I love every ounce of her!

I have to list a few favorites she has said or done lately...

-While staying at my mom's house she constantly was begging to either swing or go on the "jumpoline." - Now that makes sense.

-Everything that looks like a lizard, snake, or whatever this is (saw it on a walk here the other day) she calls an alligator. Even the tar swirling on the street from a distance to her is most definitely an alligator.

-She is constantly caring for Tenley. She never wants her to take a nap because she'd rather have her little sis be the sidekick to whatever she is up to.

- Glatulyns. This is her word for some kind of sparkly. It's different from diamonds, and usually mermaids have them. I find myself using the word too. I like it. I think Webster should take note of it.

- This gal could eat corndogs all day. And sometimes she does. I don't know why a corndog for breakfast would ever seem appetizing, but it's usually all she'll have. I give in because the girl is still the size of a baby bird.

- Lately she is really into picking out her own clothes. Which usually involves this skirt I picked up at the D.I. a few years ago. It never fit her small waistline until this year.... and now it is her most favorite piece of clothing.

- Her memory is insane. She can recall moments from before she was two. She will even shoult out in the car when we drive past a place we maybe went to one time and say, "Hey mom! I member when we went there and I wore my farkly shoes, and then tenley freaked out... and yada yada yada..."

- She loves loves loves to sing and dance. Any singing involves a lot of dynamics and vibrato. She does not hold back. Dancing is also very dramatic. I blame Disney.

- She is constantly comparing Reno and Utah. Our white house is at Utah, now we have a brown house at Reno... Cafe Rio is at Utah... the alligator we sawled is at Reno... Ava lives at Utah... (she likes using the word at) After we visited Lake Tahoe, she kept calling it Salt Lake. That whole explanation really through her for a loop.

- Calissa.... now this could be a post all on it's own. Calissa is her "friend" who she becomes randomly at any given time. She plays the part very well, calling me "Taryn's mom" and asking if taryn has ever been on the Mickey Boat. The things Calissa says are crazy sometimes.... For instance, while she was playing with Tenley as Calissa, she told me that where she comes from they eat their babies.
Yeahhhh, not sure how we feel about Calissa.

I still am in disbelief that I have a four year old. It is exciting, and fun, and makes my heart ache for her to stay little all at the same time. Driving home from church this past Sunday I really thought about her being my oldest. In reality she is me. She will always be my first baby, my little helper, the one who watches over her siblings, the "test child" who we learn parenting mistakes from.

Taryn is inquisitive, smart, cautious, imaginitive, shy, funny, and a beautiful little girl. I love her more than she will ever know!

Happy Birthday sweet girl.