Happy 4th Birthday Rhyan!

My sweet Rhyan

4 years ago today, after a solid day in the hospital trying to get to meet you, you finally made your appearance in this world! I remember seeing your sweet face for the first time, holding you for the first time, kissing your sweet face... and wondering how in the world I would ever figure out how to be a good Mommy to you!

We survived, though, and here you are today... FOUR years old! I am so amazed at all you have soaked up in the last 4 years. You are smart, Miss Rhyan! You are perceptive and can always tell if something is wrong with someone in your family. You are compassionate and nurturing! You love to help take care of people (and your baby dolls, stuffed animals, etc). You are absolutely loving and precious.

You do not like to be woken up from your naps each day. If we have to wake you, we pretty much just open your door and let the noises wake you because we're "scared" ;-). You are a GRUMP if we have to wake you!!! Naps are still pretty much a daily thing around here for you, although there are days (usually 2 a month) that you dont fall asleep and just lay there quietly for usually an hour before getting up to tell me that you're ready to get up. Silly girl. Nap time is for MOMMY! Not just you ;-)

Having your nails and toes painted is something you love. You can be quite the tom boy and love to play outside and ride your bike, climb and jump and run... but there is also a princess inside of you that requires a dress and hairbow and black shiny shoes. I absolutely love that you are not 100% tomboy or 100% girly girl... its so easy to get to enjoy a wide variety of activities with you because of this!

Every night, you and I play a little game. Idk how it started exactly? Something that you did with your "Mayer"... and we expanded on it a little. You say to me "You're my favorite... lamp" and I say "you're my favorite... bird". We continue to say that we are each others favorite random object and each respond with "nooooooo! i'm not a _____" until one of us finally says, " I know! You MUST be my favorite little girl/mommy". Then we give BIG hugs (which becomes another game... to see who can squeeze the other the hardest!) and BIG kiss (where i remind you to NOT smile and keep your lips closed b/c i dont want to kiss teeth!).

You remind us all daily that we must say our prayers before we eat. Quite the pharisee, we are raising! haha... certainly, that is exactly what we hope to avoid! You also remind me to read your bible to you each night and at your current age, I love that we can ask you questions from your night time bible and you really try to figure out the right answers. And it cracks me up that every time I ask you what is one way that we can show God that we love Him, you respond with "obey Mommy and Daddy". And every time i ask you how Jesus showed that He loved God you respond with "he obeyed his Mommy and Daddy" LOL! We've got some work to do, but you're learning ;-)

You are a really great big sister. Of course, you struggle with sharing at times with Mack, but overall you are really helpful and kind to him. You try to teach him how to say the blessing and how to ride his bike, etc... you kind of go back and forth between wanting to be a baby (and trying to talk like one) and  really taking on your role of big sister. We understand this conflict in your heart and just try to remind you of what it was like when YOU were little like Mack and all of the great things you get to enjoy now that you're bigger. Helping you see the perks of being older brings you right back to wanting to be the big sister!

We have a great time shopping together. You're such a great little buddy and always help me find nice gifts for friends, nice clothes for myself, etc.

You love Spud and always make sure he has food and water, and you let me know if he needs something. If his ears flip inside out, you fix it and tell him he's a silly boy. You're so good with him!

Lately, you've been telling me that you think we need a bigger family. Your specific requests are for 1. A cat (not happening... i'm allergic! sorry girl!) 2. A brother for Spud (not happening... i'm sick of cleaning dog hair, and trust me... he doesnt want a brother!) and 3. A sister for you. Cause you already have a brother ;-) haha... So demanding!

You have weathered the changing of church's like a champ. It was SUCH a hard decision to change from the only church you've ever known... where you were dedicated and loved for almost 4 years! But you have taken so well to your new church (Bethlehem Church) and are so sweet to tell Mack that he is a big boy and shouldnt cry and just to have fun!

This past year you have potty trained, learned to talk in full on conversation, comprehended reasoning skills, learned all your letters and can write most of them, know all colors (except gray), developed a great love for singing and all things princess's,  stopped sucking your fingers in your sleep! (thank you Mavala Stop!) and so much more! Some things I could live without is how picky you've become in your eating and the tone in which you sometimes answer me.

I cant believe what this next year will bring... you will be starting pre-K in the fall, which is SO bittersweet. I know you are SO ready! You're so excited and tell your Daddy and I all the time about how great it will be and how you know that we will miss you, and that its ok. :-)

Your Daddy and you are little peas in a pod. You play together and you are always SO goofy around him!
You and your bother LOVE each other, too. I'm always surprised at what great friends you are and how well you play together. It makes me so glad that you are so close in age!

This past weekend leading up to your birthday, I went to a Christian children's ministry leadership conference. The whole theme of the conference was symbolized with a marble in a jar for each week from today till the time a kid turns 18. There were jars everywhere labeled with the ages and it was a real visual for how quickly time passes. I loved the idea and am starting a jar for you and your bother soon. I need to take a marble out each week so I can reflect on the week and think about how well your Daddy and I poured into you and made time matter. How well we loved you during that week. I look forward to that reminder, and hope that the Lord will guide us as to how to make each week of your life count as we disciple you!
 
More than anything, I absolutely adore being your Mommy. I struggle with learning how to be a good one, that much is still true. But my motive and desire is there, so I continue to trust the Lord and see Him for discernment and wisdom on how best to parent your precious heart. I treasure you, Rhyan Shlaine Ford. And I always will. Just in the way that NOTHING can separate you from the love of God, so it will be with my love, as well.