Happy Birthday Maura

I remember when I would hear about a friend that had a two year old.. boy that seemed old to me... a two year old! But then I had a two year old, and, well, it didn't seem that old. Same thing with three. But four... four just seems too old to me. Maura turned four on Sunday. Her birthday was a long time coming. She had a sleepover with friends a week beofre her birthday, then she had a playgroup party on Friday, then G-parents came over for a small party on Sunday, then Monday she celebrated in school! Now, we have a short break, and we start Maggie's celebration!

Maura has always been a pretty easy child. When she was a baby, she did what she was supposed to do. She would nurse, fine, and take milk from a bottle, fine. She slept well from the beginning, starting to sleep through the night at 3 1/2 weeks. You could put her down on her playmat. She would play until she fell asleep. You could come back in an hour later and she would be awake again playing with her toys. When it was time to eat, she did. When it was time to put her on a nap schedule, she went. Her first birthday was her last day taking a bottle... She just always did whatever the baby books and doctors and internet, and whatever else, said she was supposed to do. Boy, was I spoiled! Maybe that is why just four months after she was born I was already pregnant again.

To this day, Maura is still pretty easy. She basically does what she is supposed to do. She is also very independent in most ways. She does not really care what the "crowd" (if there is a crowd at age 4) is doing. She plays well with others or by herself. She is self motivated to learn. I would think this was a weird thing to say of a four year old, but, from experience, I know that not all children are like her. She loves puzzles! She loves workbooks. She loves, loves to read (memorize) books. She sings all the time. It is so easy for her to pick up a tune. She then makes up all kinds of songs with that same tune. She has a great imagination. She is very athletic and strong. She makes funny faces and funny noises and cracks herself up. She will listen to you tell a story, then adapt the story to her own life and retell it. She is basically kind and good to her sisters. She tells me, she will always be my little girl, but she has to grow and get older and bigger.

One of the things I really admire (yes, I admire my 4 year old) is her ability to do her own thing. I tried to nuture this as a baby/toddler by never saying "all your friends are... sitting down, playing dress up, eating lunch, etc." Just saying she either did or did not have to do it. I thought I was the one shaping her. Turns out I was wrong. They shape themselves. Each of my gals is so different. It is amazing they were raised by the same mom! I do hope she keeps that independent personality trait, as that will help alot down the road when peer pressure becomes more dangerous.

So, Mo, happy birthday to you. I love you, and I want you to stay 4 forever!!