Dear Ayla,

Today you are four years old. Four! It's so hard to believe it's been four years already. You are so happy today. This seems like the first birthday you've been really, really excited about. Uncle Seth, Eric and Grandpa Mike came for the weekend, so you've already opened lots of presents. Grandma Tina, Auntie Tonia and Lexie are here right now. Last weekend you went on your first trip without us. You went to Sioux Falls with Uncle Mike (aka "Uncle Mike Daddy") and "Jojo". You visited Auntie Jenny and Uncle Walter and Auntie Julie were there too. This morning you came downstairs with your new purple lipstuff spread all over your lips and around your mouth. You also had on your pink sunglasses with rhinestones. You were bouncing around, staring at yourself in the mirror and singing, "I'm big, I'm four, I can go to pre-school!" over and over again. At this age you are equal parts delightful and exasperating. You are a funny, funny girl. I don't know how else to describe you. Sometimes you are so outgoing it makes me want to hide somewhere. Like recently when I took you to the dentist and you wouldn't stop talking to the people trying to do their office work. You told them EVERYTHING. You told them daddy was at home with diarrhea and that you threw up on your pillow in Chicago. I finally had to call you aside and tell you to let the ladies do their work. Other times you are frumpy and grumpy for no reason at all. People try to talk to you and your response is a big fat "Humph, I'm not talking to nobody." They look questioningly at me and all I can do is shrug my shoulders and say, "She's funny, she's either happy or she's not and we usually don't know why." You are very lovable and huggable and you still have a fat squeezable bottom. You love shoes, clothes, tights, lipstuff, hairstuff and dollys. You are still in the princess phase and love to dress up like one. You have food allergies and you are so good about knowing what you can and can't eat. Sometimes you are sneaky though. Yesterday while I was gone you told Auntie Tonia that it was OK to have a Popsicle. You ate the whole thing and then tearfully declared that you weren't supposed to eat it. When I questioned you about it you simply shrugged your shoulders and said you forgot! You are Ailya, Queen Bee & The Booty-Butt Babe and everyone loves you! Happy Birthday!

Love,
Mom