Happy Birthday Sophie, Love, 4

My biggest baby is 4 years old! I'm not so shocked with how big and able she's getting, I was marveling it as it was happening - her coordination and motor skills growing, her speech developing, her communication, her abilities and shedding her little toddler tummy, but it's been fun discovering what this 4 year old can do.

She's been very excited about turning 4 and I still haven't found the way to communicate to her that yes, she'll be 4 when she moves up a grade, but she's not switching classes now just because she turned 4.

This kid CLEANED UP this year. I guess it's not out of the realm for a young kid but omg we are swimming in gifts and celebrations!

I don't remember why I was so exhausted, but staying up Thursday night was a chore to set up the house for her birthday morning. The golden curtains, the Bluey balloons, the giant 4 balloon, and my personal favorite was arranging out stuffed Bluey family in party hats around her wooden toy birthday cake, with a collection of other stuffies nearby in their party hats too.

I also changed out the coloring paper on top of the coffee table and wrote SOPHIE IS 4! And when we asked her if she could tell what it said she said "Yeah! It says 'Happy Birthday Sophie, Love, 4" and that was one of my favorites. 

AJ made her a special waffles for breakfast and I let her go to school in a Minnie dress that was honestly probably a little too big for her, but I felt it was more festive than the black pants and NASA shirt that she wanted to wear (she is obsessed with that NASA shirt and I'm not against but also like wut lol)

I had my work cut out that day and I barely got by, baking her cake for that night and then AJ and I met at her school to celebrate with her class, which was... interesting lol but it was cute to interact with them all. I had taken Sophie to the store to pick the decorations for her school party and despite having unicorns, mermaids, Minnie Mouse, Frozen and more, she still landed in Bluey. Obviously she likes Bluey, but honestly I would have put money on mermaids or Frozen, she really loves those things more (or so I thought).

School director having their mascot
say Happy Birthday to Sophie but she
wasn't really having it lol

School was over for the day at that point and we took Sophie with us to go run an errand at AAA. My friend was on her way to our house to drop off a birthday gift for Sophie (because I told her we weren't home) and I actually recognized her license plate in front of us so we were able to facilitate an in-person drop off in a parking lot ha!

Sophie came with me to pick up Summer. She had asked me to let her old daycare provider know that it was her birthday that morning, which I did. When Sophie came with me to pick up Summer, the daycare lady actually had a present ready for Sophie, which was so unnecessary but so sweet!

We spent the evening at Boomers with cousins and one set of Sophie's godparents. We put together a good enough time for Sophie, I mean, she won a prize from the claw machine all by herself! I was quite impressed. 

We went home for pizza and cake and by God the kids went nuts over the alien slime prize that Sophie and Bryce collected with the game tickets.

The presents she got, that I can remember, were a purse-like Princess activity book, a cleaning set (brooms, etc - she does love those), a bracelet, Elsa shoes, endless pjs, so many pjs, the DJ Catnip Music Room for her Gabby's Dollshouse, Chutes & Ladders, and a mermaid tail blanket. She actually had such a great time that I don't think she even ate any of her own cake.

The next day we went and met Auntie Sasha halfway from her place in LA in north Orange County, wandered around a nice park with a Kobe & Gigi tribute, and discovered the most magical and fun cafe!

At this meeting, Sophie collected more birthday goods - a Hello Kitty lunchbox and Bluey beach scene figurines. Even Summer got a gift from the Ms. Rachel toy collection.

On Sunday, grandpa Mark came over to celebrate, and on top of a nice dinner with tiramisu cake, Sophie got more gifts, and even I got some nice winter socks lol

On Monday, me, Sophie and Summer had it off so we took my mom up on her offer to go to Knott's and omg what was I thinking - it was a holiday and it was packed! But Sophie had a great time with her cousins and that's really what matters! (This is what I tell myself).

And Gangy and Grandpa Jim bought her more bithday gifts - she chose a Snoopy shirt and a personalized kids mug with the Peanuts characters on it. I think this will be a perfect year to introduce her to A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Okay, I think her birthday is finally done this year!