Briana’s 4th Birthday (1/9/08)
I love you so much with all of my heart. There are so many fun things to look back on as you turn 4. I’m always amazed at how much you have learned and how far you have come in such a short time. I love your kind heart, lively spirit, your sense of curiosity and your good sense for what’s right and wrong. You have such a deep love for your family. Not just me, your dad and William but also grandparents, cousins and aunts and uncles. I am always amazed by you and will always be one of your biggest fans and supporters as you grow into a young woman. Looking back at 3 years old is so much fun. You and I have spent many hours together at parks, play dates, stroller strides, and here at home. I have gotten to know a truly remarkable young lady.
One of your favorite places to go as a family has been the San Diego Zoo. You went this year from riding in the backpack behind daddy to walking part time to eventually walking the park by yourself. However, we can usually tell when you have had enough because you whine to be picked up and carried. Your love for animals has only grown stronger this past year. No matter how many times we go to visit the animals you never grow tired or bored. Instead you ask to see your favorites. “Daddy can I see the elephants; “Can I see the snakes?” And “where are the zebras?” We have tried to nurture your love for animals and have encouraged you to continue you interest. You have even expressed the desire to become what you call an “animal doctor”. You manage to tell just about everyone you meet that you will be an animal doctor one day.
It goes almost without saying that your love for Roxie and Rowdy has continued as well. I should say that the love is far greater for Roxie than for poor Rowdy. You have figured out how to lock the doggie doors and on several occasions have poor Rowdy locked outside while you shower Roxie with love, attention and snacks. As you have pointed out many times Rowdy is William’s dog and daddy’s dog while Roxie is your girl.
Speaking of boys and girls . . . . you love to point out the fact that you are a girl and William is a little boy. More specifically, you have explained to me that you, me and Roxie are girls and we all match. You continue to explain that William, Rowdy and daddy are all boys and so they match. One of your favorite things to do is to climb in my lap or lie down next to me and give me a really big hug and say, “Mommy, we are girls all together!” Not to mention your insistence that mommy was going to have a new baby girl in May of this year. I really didn’t want you to be disappointed just in case the new baby wasn’t a girl. So, occasionally I would say, “What if the baby is a little boy?” You would then look at me, point to William and say, “The baby boy is right there already!!” So, when we finally did go in for our first ultrasound in December, you were actually the one who asked, or rather told, the technician that mommy had a baby girl. It just so happened, that you were right! You were so excited to view your baby sister’s first ultrasound. You were able to sit on the examine table and look at the computer monitor during the exam. Several times, you would whisper to me, and to be honest I didn’t catch most of watch you were saying. You love to “whisper” but you don’t really understand how to do it correctly. So you either end up talking much too loudly or mouthing the words so they can not be heard at all. At one point in the ultrasound exam you exclaimed very loudly to me that baby girl is cute!! Even the technician looked up and laughed a little. This made you a little shy but the whispering continued until the exam ended.
One of your favorite places to go each week is grandma and papa’s house. Although most of the time it’s to play with Michael and Joey and not so much about visiting your grandparents. This only becomes obvious on the rare occasions when Michael and Joey are not at home. As soon as we arrive you run off to find them and I won’t see you again until it’s time to go home. Occasionally, you have informed me that you don’t want to leave and instead insist on staying at grandma and papa’s house. On one particular occasion you stubbornly insisted on staying and refused to leave the garage where you had been playing. So, I picked up William, said goodbye and left the garage. I hadn’t even walked out the door for a minute before you came crying after me and begged me to take you home. I guess we’ll have to wait a few more years before you’ll be ready to spend the night on your own. Recently, you have become interested in one of Michael’s favorite computer games, Piñata. You and Michael both share a love for animals. Often times you fight over the same toy animals. Piñata involves creating a garden with plants and animals that you then “take care” of and interact with. You don’t really know how to work all of the controls but with the help of papa you make it through the game. It’s actually one of the first things you ask to do once you walk through the door.
Another favorite place for you to go this year has been Disneyland. It’s a Small World is by far your favorite ride. You have been on it several times now and enjoy singing along with the characters. You also have an adventurous side. You and daddy go on the tea cups, Matterhorn and a small roller coaster in toon town together. One of my favorite rides is the Pirates of Caribbean. We basically drag you on this ride every time we go. As soon as you get off, you tell us how much you don’t like the pirate ride. Same thing happens with the haunted mansion! Recently, you discovered the princesses. Daddy took you to visit and you had a chance to talk to Belle, Aurora, and Mulan. You talked about your experience for the next week you were so excited to have met them. I haven’t really been able to get you guys to pose with other characters as they walk by . One time while at the park, Aladin came out and we were the only ones around which would have been a great time to get a picture. You and William walked up to him briefly and by the time I grabbed my camera, the two of you were next to me. I couldn’t get you to stand next to him no matter what. I’m hoping with a little more time, I can get some good character shots in.
Your love for animals also takes the form of various “babies”. You get attached to a stuffed animal for a while and insist on taking that animal everywhere you go. You formed the longest attachment to a stuffed elephant that was originally meant for William. It was purple and was actually a small, soft book about animals. You took that elephant everywhere! The other animal that you also formed a long attachment to was an anteater and it also came with a baby anteater. I was amazed that the baby didn’t get lost because you also dragged those babies everywhere. When we asked you what sound an anteater made, you would imitate an elephant. To you, an anteater had a “trunk” and so of course it made an elephant sound. There have been many babies this past year, all animals, and all have been carefully kept out of William’s reach.
We have also taken up camping this year after the purchase of a new travel trailer in May. You were so excited from the moment you first saw it. Your favorite part is the bunk house where your bed is. We have gone to many places so far this year including Big Bear, Silver Strand Beach, Salton Sea, and Mammoth. You absolutely love roasting marshmallows at night with daddy. On one particular night both you and William got into the marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers. The two of you were so hyper I thought you were never going to get to sleep that night. Now when we roast marshmallows we make sure and keep and eye on the bag and make sure your not sneaking too many. You are always disappointed whenever it’s time to leave. On one occasion while daddy was packing to leave; you sat stubbornly in your chair and told us, “I’m still camping!”
I have enjoyed every moment of this past year, even your growing desire to do everything for yourself. The most convincing argument you have for me is to say, “That’s what I can do!” You have grown and discovered so much in such a short time. I look forward to the next year and can’t wait to see what new surprises you have in store for me!!
