Audree is 4!!

As we continue with our birthday marathon....Audree is 4!!! I think this has been the most highly anticipated birthday of the group. We started counting down last summer and the excitement was almost unbearable every morning for the past ten days when we were able to finally count on fingers. When she came down this morning and saw all the balloons and streamers and the Happy Birthday banner pinned up she exclaimed, "Oh, I forgot it was my birthday today!"

So, my top four favourite things about Audree (some might be technically more than one but how can I really limit myself to four without combining?):

1. When they say girls are made from "sugar and spice and everything nice" they are talking about Audree. She has such a sweet and gentle disposition. Her smile travels to her eyes and she just oozes sugar. (I just read last year's list and I wrote the same thing...she REALLY is!)

2. I love that she is soooo helpful. I know this might be a stage (I'm hoping not!) but if I need help with something like dishes or cleaning or laundry she is right there. She loves to have jobs that only she can do like wash the tuperware or fold diaper wipes or arrange the dolls and pillows on a bed. When she feels like she's the only one who can do the job right she glows with pride.

3. She is a great dancer. And not just the normal twirls and dips. She listens to the words of the music and acts them out as she's dancing - very expressive  Now that we have a huge 50" screen tv in the livingroom she loves watching herself dance in it and can get quite self-absorbed (not in a bad way...just that I can watch her for awhile before she realizes I'm there and gets all bashful). One of her favourite games is for me to mimic her moves. I don't watch myself for this one. She doesn't mind sharing the dance floor with her sisters and will try to incorporate them into her dance, especially Lucienne who is turning into her little shadow. She also often acts while talking. Today she asked her friend Benjamin to look for a tiny lost crown and when she asked him to search the house she bent slightly at the waist with her hand shading her eyes. Must be the french in her.

4. She has the cutest adult-like manerisms. Rolling her eyes at something or someone being silly, hand on her hip and a shake of her head.

5. She loves to try to speak French, and her sisters love teaching her. The first time she realized the word croissant was actually french and she knew it she was beaming. Thanks to Dora, Spanish is often confused as French or often she'll just speak nonsense and call it french...sounds the same to me!

6. I love her imagination. She can play for hours with little figurines or just stuff. The other day I caught her playing with the juice jug, a telephone and a plastic lizard. She sat there for 20 minutes playing our some sort of scenario from her mind.

7. She loves carrying around novels and pretending to read them. In her church bag there is usually 10 novels. No picture books or colouring activities, just novels. She'll sit and flip through the pages one by one, not saying a word (maybe she really is reading!)

8. She loves being outside and would often rather walk or ride her bike than take the car (which in a few weeks won't be an option, we'll officially be car-less when Rene's carpooling buddy retires). And her bike, she has no fear. I'm even wondering if we'll be able to take training wheels off this summer.

9. I love that she loves sleeping in our bed. I love that we can provide such a safe, warm, comfortable feeling for her. I know these days won't last forever so I'll soak them up while I can. I'm sure nights will come when I'll wish she was in our bed as I wait for her to home in the wee hours of the morning.

10. I love when she plays her masterpiece on the piano - three high notes, three low notes, and repeat. If  you didn't hear the song and saw her face after you'd think she'd just pulled off Mozart.

Okay, that was more than four. And I could probably keep going but dinner needs to be made, Lucienne is running around naked and Audree is fast asleep on the couch (and needs to be woken up so she'll go to sleep tonight).

We sure do love our Audree. And she loves to hear how much we love her.

I almost forgot. I love Audree snuggles. And Audree tickles. And Audree giggles.

Now I really need to go.