Work In Progress: four.

yikes.

wasn't she just my baby?

but no, not anymore. now she's this big girl who is full of sassiness and stubbornness and orneriness and all other -nesses.

(to be fair, she is also full of sweetness and silliness and cuteness.)

she woke up this morning and came in our room, and i said, "who's the birthday girl?" and she giggled, "me!" then she said, "but i'm not four yet. i'm still three." i said, "yes you are four, right now." she started to cry, "i'm not four! my jammies still fit!"

in her rationale, she should have grown six inches overnight to prove her advanced age.

what a nutball.

i'm looking forward to four. if memory serves, four was my favorite age of henry's. he was just so cool. i'm hoping being with her this year will bring the same level of getting to know her as a person.

it's hitting me a little hard, this fact of her growing up. i tried so hard to hold on to her as a baby because i knew she was my last. but somehow, she grew faster than i could have imagined.

her sense of self is forming so rapidly. she loves art in any and all forms. her favorite foods are crab (the real stuff ... she can tell the imitation crap a mile away), mushrooms, blackberries, oatmeal, and chocolate. she could watch "tom & jerry" all day long. she typically has to pick out her own clothes and has definite opinions about what i choose for her. she is head-strong and quick to throw a fit, but she's also just as quick to giggle and ask to have her armpits tickled.

i still call her peanut even though it's obvious she will be taller than me by fifth grade. she has her daddy's nose, mouth, dimple on her left cheek, but those cheeks are all mine, as are her big sparkly eyes. though they appear to be brown, like daddy's. and her build is completely marc; she will be long, lean, and leggy. lord help us.

i hope that as she grows, she stays as strong-minded and true to herself as she is right now. if she does, i won't fear for her. she can take care of herself quite nicely in the fact of conflict, thankyouverymuch henry ... harper is not afraid to throw down and get in it. my hope is that she will continue to be gross and argumentative, so as to discourage boys from getting a good look at how gorgeous she is. having an older brother could prove to be our saving grace with her.

and yet she is so very girly. and that could be our worry.

i love you, little harpity-harp. i'm so sad your baby days are gone, but i'm also so thrilled to have you around to talk to and play with every day. you amaze me and make me laugh and test me and fill me with more love and joy than i ever thought possible.

(pix of her birthday and party are here.)

10 Comments

happy sweet birthday to harper! she is indeed a sweetpea.

Posted by: Kyong | 16 March 2009 at 07:53 AM

wow - rapunzel barbie! i was all about the hair too w/ my barbies. i loved seeing harper's sweet & goofy expressions in her bday photos! she is such a cutie pie!!

Posted by: Kyong | 16 March 2009 at 07:58 AM