Growing Family: The baby is 4

Brooke turns 4 in two days.

We go to the park or shopping while she is with me during the days, it was just last year I had both my girls going placing doing errands. But now its just Brooke and I. Anyways, while out I see these moms with their baby in the harness, and their little 2 year olds playing their best at the playground, or while shopping same thing mom has baby in harness and the 2 year old sitting in the cart. Then theres me looking at those moms saying to myself, that used to be me. I feel like not long ago, that used to be me. Now I'm running through the park playing hide and seek, watching Brooke do the monkey bars and saying your too big for that, lets go to the big girls swings! This always hurts to know that time is no longer, but Rusty always says we all have the same amount of time, which for some reason always makes me feel a bit better. I had my time with my babies and know I focused on enjoying every moment and every stage no matter how bittersweet is was to let go of.

Okay back to the topic of Brooke, she is going to be four and going into 3 day pre K this fall then off to the big K. I had parent teacher conference with there teacher and she is doing great, right on par. I was taken a bit back because when I work with her she's so stubborn, she doesn't want to do any of the activities Id like to do to teach her, unless I use food to entice her. But her teacher says she does not see that and she does very well on her assignments and and in engaged. Which don't get me wrong makes me very pleased, but this girl! You don't even know., this girl will age me like no other. She loves hard and cares hard, makes your heart melt, then she will sass, she will disobey, and push any button you have. My gosh, it is so hard for me to discipline her, Rusty always says Im too passive with her and that why she pushes me. You know the parents who say "its easier to just let them do want rather than put up the fight" I was a parent who before would have said HECK no, not me. But she's exhausted me so to where I find my self putting away her shoes Id asked her to put away several times, or picking up her mess that she is taken 20 minutes to pick up. We are working on it. She's a good kid, but she can be stubborn and determined, which aren't bad character traits.

She has always been and still is more of a home body, she still likes to watch movies at home, get comfy on the sofa, eat snacks and color or cut paper into a million pieces. But she is very active and strong when she has to be or wants to be. This girl will power up hills on her bike and go a whole 3 miles. She will sprint and run past my expectations of someone her age. She is determined to keep up with Sophia. We have soccer starting next week and I am excited to see her. We play soccer just her and I at the gym, I think she has pretty good coordination for it.

Some of the things that come out of her mouth make me laugh so hard. Most of which she is mocking me.
- When she talks to me and I'm not paying 100% attention and not looking, she will say "mom, mom, look at my eyes" once Im looking she will go on with her conversation. I did that to her all the time when she was not listening, I made her look at me so I could communicate with her.
- Privacy! The girls and I kinda just open doors whenever and its pretty relaxed, but there are times Im in the bathroom and the girls just barge in, always just sing Privacy, that is now her favorite word and will use it all the time with the rest of the family.
- The worst is when she says she going to spank my butt! Oh gosh, I say this to her all the time, "you better not, or I'm gonna spank your butt" "Don't run in the parking lot, or I'm gonna spank your butt" you get the point, of course you can tell I don't spank, so they are always empty threats, (great parenting) but she will use that on me when she doesn't like what I'm doing.
- She walks around the house on her tip toes shaking her hips, I ask what are you doing, she says she's mommy. No, not me I am not a hip shaker when I walk.
- When asked to do something, she always has an excuse that her legs hurt, or thats she's tired.
- She's definitely the early bird of the family. She will come into our room to wake us up, while pulling the blinds back she says look mom

She's a happy, smart, good hearted funny little girl who shines her bright light in our family. Happy Birthday my sweet Brookie!