Taryn is FOUR!

Taryn's birthday week was an EXTREMELY busy one.  Perhaps that is why it has taken me nearly a month to blog about it...  Recovering. 

 

Monday was Taryn's actual birthday.  4 years ago...  How is that possible?  For breakfast Taryn got pancakes in the shape of a 4.  

 Tuesday was Taryn's preschool graduation!  Next year she will be at the same place, but next year is considered "Pre-K".  Taryn's preschool program is at the high school in our area.  In addition to two adult teachers, she has a handful of high school students that work in the classroom that are also teachers.  Taryn loves to watch the big girls teach and tell my all the things that they do.  Like "The teachers at my school walk backwards in the hallway."  "The teachers in my school hold their hair like this when they get a drink."  Etc. 

 Each child got an award at graduation.  We were all waiting to see what Taryn's would be and kind of contemplated some ideas.  Chattiest...  Dramatic...  What would it be? 

 The answer:  MOST IMAGINATIVE.  Yep, that definitely sums up our girl.  :)  Sometimes her games of pretend are so in depth and change with such frequency that I can barely keep up.  Below is a pic of Taryn and her preschool BFF, Brielle.  Taryn can't quite pronounce Brielle's name yet, and she calls her Gee-elle.  (Brielle doesn't seem to mind.) 

 As an art project, all the kids made little graduates and wrote their name on them.  Below, one of the teachers wrote what they said they wanted to be when they grew up.  Taryn's said that she wanted to be "a little kid teacher".  As I browsed a lot of the kids' projects, a lot of the girls wanted to be teachers and the boys wanted to be cops.  Who knew Lee and I were living the dream!  (Brielle's was hilarious.  She said that she wanted to be "a mommy and a princess".)

 Then on Saturday, Taryn had her 4th birthday party.  It was a Barbie theme, complete with a Barbie cake, a Barbie dress, and lots and lots of Barbie gifts! 

 Waiting to blow out all FOUR of those candles! 

 Cake is eaten & presents are open...  Time to PLAY! 

 Taryn, you are my chatty, sweet, dramatic girl.  You are a social butterfly who loves to play.  You have a lot of mommy's personality traits that are sometimes hard for me to see, but then sometimes I am just in awe of the sparkle in your eye and your infectious silly laughter.  This year held so many big firsts for you and you handled them with grace.  Your first experience with school and you loved it.  Becoming a big sister...  And you love him.  Almost as much as he adores you.  You learned to share your mom & dad (and you're working on learning to share grandma).  You are quick to put on a show, whether it is singing & guitar or slapstick comedy.  You love knock-knock jokes, but they make no sense.  You enjoy musicals and will sing your renditions of the songs for months after seeing one.  You have a huge heart and worry about those that you love.  After seeing the musical The Sound of Music recently, you spent many hours worrying about the VonTrapp family that "had to go to another country because a war was starting and they didn't want to fight."  Just tonight you mentioned that you would be turning 5 next.  Boy is this momma glad we have 11 months until that.  Though I am not ready for 5 and kindergarten and school buses, I know you will welcome all those firsts with open arms and a bright outlook.  I hope you always keep this happy demeanor and zest for life.  You shine so brightly that you light up those around you.  I love you my sweet pea.