Maya is FOUR! How did THAT happen?

Stop the roller coaster!!! It's going too fast!!! How can precious little Maya, sweet tiny baby Maya, the 9-month old baby wearing 6-month sized clothes and a size 2 shoe, be FOUR already?? Crazy. I'm afraid if I blink she'll be married when I open my eyes.

On the other hand, I am so enjoying this stage of my baby's life. Watching her fills me with awe whenever she learns something new and watches with that wide-eyed, open-mouth stare of hers. I was telling a friend yesterday that last year at this time, when she was starting 3K at FBS, she seemed to be very much a follower of the kids around her. But now she seems like such a leader of the pack. Ok, so the fact that she can't sit still for more than 30 seconds at a time just might have something to do with that. But I watch her with her friends and she's always giving orders and telling them what to do. And for some reason they seem to do it.. But she also has geniune compassion for her family and friends. If someone is hurt, she is the first to go and try to comfort them. And she has this squeal-type laugh when she is really, really excited about something that I just love to hear. And the talking. Oh, my, goodness. She can talk non-stop. No wonder Maria is so quiet ... when does she get a chance to talk?!

Anyway, Maya turned 4 years old on July 26. I'm a little late posting, of course, but then I'm a little late doing everything these days. I still have not caught up on sending out the thank-you notes for the presents her family and friends gave her. I think I'm about 1/2 way done. Maybe I can finish by Christmas ... just in time to write those thank=you notes!

This is Maya's cake. Her birthday theme was Nemo. Yes, you may recall we just had THREE Nemo parties when she turned 2, but it seemed appropriate since she does love the movie, and since she is quite the fish. That girl loves nothing more than spending time in the water. I had the best time ever making her birthday cake this year. I used fondant, which I rarely use, and have learned not to use again for a child's party. Maya loved her cake, but honestly, fondant is not the best-tasting icing, to put it mildly. I do like this particular recipe ok, but it is not even close to being as good as regular buttercream or the white chocolate cream cheese icing I love to make. But it turned out really cute anyway.... I made the candy molds, but the 'rocks' are just yogurt-covered raisins. The Nemo on top is a bubbles container, and I took the top off and stuck the candle in there during the party.
She was so anxious to open her presents! This was from Sammie, Val and Jennifer, my BFFs from C. One of Maya's favorite gifts was her "Hannah Batana" guitars. LOL! That's how she pronounced Hannah Montana. I had no idea she even knew her name. No idea where she heard it or if she has ever seen the show, but she seems to like her.

And these were the guests ... I never did get a great shot of all of them. Do you know how hard it is to corral that many 4-year-olds and get them all to look at you and smile? Impossible, I say....

And this is Evan, one of her friends from preschool. He couldn't come to her party, so he came over to our house to swim and play the next week. And this was just too cute ... holding hands as they jumped off the diving board!

Since we were having a swimming party, I had collected a few things for the kids to do in case of bad weather, including decorating these visors. Since her birthday was bright and sunny, I sent the visors and materials to preschool the next week so her class could use them. Christen, Maya's BFF's mom, works at FBS and she sent me this picture that day.

Maya, I can't believe how fast you are growing up. I miss the baby, but I look forward to each new step you take. You are so independent now, and each day you amaze me with something new that you can do. Well, maybe 'amazed' isn't the correct word for what you taught me today when you said "dammit" in the tub. I immediately scolded you and stressed you are never to say that again. Then you looked at me and said "just mommy can say it." Oy. So I said no, not even mommy can say that word .. it's a bad word. So you now know that if you hear mommy say it, mommy gets a spanking on her hand, and she does not get any gum if she says it.

And just when I think you can't get any more precious, you surprise me again. I knew you would not like all the shots you get at your 4-year-old checkup, and I wimped out and asked Gran to take you. She did it, and told me you were quite a trooper. You did cry (and who could blame you ... why in the world do they put a child through THREE shots in one day??!!), but Gran said you cheered up rather quickly once it was over, and then you were so proud of your bandaids the rest of the day. You showed them to Maria when you were in the tub that night, and proudly relayed the events at the doctor's office for her. It was the cutest thing ever when Maria bent over and went "awwwww".

I love to hear you sing. You and Maria love to sing in the car, and with the tv, any time you can. You come home from school singing the cutest songs ever. And when you were bent over your coloring book earlier tonight, you were just singing your heart out.

I am so proud of the little girl you are becoming, but I do miss the baby. I like to hold your face in my hands and just stare at your face looking for the baby. I still see a small glimpse or two every now and then, but the baby is rapidly disappearing. You stayed so tiny for so long, and now you seem to be shooting up every time I turn around. Each time I think I am stocking up for the next size clothes, you are in them and I have to stock up again! Luckily for me, sometimes you like to pretend you are a baby and I get to hold you and cuddle you for a few moments. You and Maria are the best things that have ever happened to us, and we love you so very, very much!! Happy 4th birthday, baby girl.