Chickadee has been looking forward to her birthday for a few weeks. She had a detailed, though simple, plan about how her birthday would look. She had very clear opinions on some things and absolutely no opinion on others. In the end, her plan was a "getting wet" party with "only orange foods". We did, in fact, get wet but we had non-orange foods in addition to the orange ones.
I wish I were still blogging regularly because Chickadee is a spectacularly funny kid. She is still such a happy girl and very creative. A few random things about Chickadee as a four-year-old:
1. Chickadee is currently in love with one of the teachers from our school. This is not a teacher who teaches Chickadee, but just a teacher she has seen in the hall. When Chickadee sees said teacher, she is starstruck and will not speak to her. Yet, she notices every.single.thing. there would possibly be to notice about this woman every day. All of us at school are both amused by this teacher obsession and wondering how long it will last.
2. Chickadee has spent the better part of her 4 year old year addicted to Amelia Bedelia. She likes idioms like "hit the road" and "dress the chicken". She was BESIDE HERSELF with wonder when I recently went to a bridal shower because Amelia Bedelia showers HER bride-to-be with water.
3. Chickadee likes to be in very small spaces. She still goes into "her" cupboard to hang out, though now she has to take all the plasticware out first. She fits into storage tubs and under the toy kitchen sink. She thinks it's HYSTERICAL to hide from the sitter. Every time she comes. In the same exact place. Last night, she slept on the floor of the linen closet...curled up in a ball like the cat. She crawled out around midnight to finish the night in bed.
4. Chickadee stops in my office every day on the way to her daycare classroom. She plops her backpack down, may or may not grab her water bottle, tells me one quick thing about the day, and leaves. She is not fazed if I have students in the room or am in the middle of a meeting.
5. Chickadee often says "of course" rather than yes. Do you want ice cream? Of course! Did you have a good day? Of course! Is that pee on your pants? Of course! It's as though she is super confident about every statement that comes out of her mouth.
6. Chickadee has a special place in her heart for strangers. She is often giving suggestions of how we can help people who are homeless, who have crutches, who are "very old ladies". Her latest idea that we hope to carryout this summer, is to take treats to the nearby nursing home.
It seems like forever ago that this kid was carried into my house in a bucket seat, yet the time has flown. I am lucky that Chickadee still likes to snuggle, be carried, have horsie rides, give kisses, and sit on my lap. I imagine those days are numbered and wonder if I'll be able to say the same things next year. I will always be grateful for this girl in my life. She is so easy to love.
Happy Birthday to my little lovebug. I love you.
