Our 4 year old princess

Another birthday came and went. This one was a little emotional for me...well, okay they all are. But there is something about the last kid growing up that makes me sad. Why does it have to happen so fast? Of course to a kid, it takes eternity for your birthday to arrive. They spend the whole year waiting, and planning for that special day and Mom better not screw it up or life could be over as you know it! Thankfully, Brylee is still pretty easy to please. I dont even think she realized it was her birthday until I asked her straight out in the middle of the day "do you know its your birthday...today?" Then she decided to get excited. " Its my birthday!? Today? Right now?" she exclaimed. I guess after all the build up she didnt really take everyone seriously when they kept telling her 'happy birthday' all morning! Even after I made her her choice of birthday breakfast, she didnt get it. Just thought it was good practice I guess. And what was her choice of breakfast you may wonder? A heart shaped pancake with sprinkles, hot chocolate with marshmallows, and hashbrowns. Except, she didnt eat much of the hashbrowns. I think she has the biggest sweet tooth out of all our kids! Must be a December birthday thing.

 Most people might be surprised to know that Brylee is a little spark plug. She holds her own with the older siblings and isnt afraid to let them know when she is unhappy with them. She is the cutest thing when she gets mad...its really hard to take her seriously. In public, she hardly utters a peep, but at home she will rattle off an entire novel about her baby dolls and why Zack doesnt like pink and her puppy Jovi. Of course that most often occurs during one on one time with Mom when everyone else isnt talking at the same time. She is also very silly. Must be all those sweet teeth. Once she is wound up, she is hard to get to stop laughing. She also loves books. She will sit and let you read her the entire collection in the library if you are willing. And dont even think about not reading her a bedtime story...that is like the ultimate punishment! Its always good to know what to threaten the kids with, right? Well, once she figured out it was her birthday, she got in one of those wound up, silly moods...

 We actually decided to celebrate the day after when we had more time, since it was a Saturday. Earlier in the week I asked her what she wanted to do for her birthday and she said a movie with popcorn. Popcorn mandatory! Then she forgot what she decided to do by the time Saturday rolled around, so it was a surprise to all the kids, including her. It was hilarious to watch them try to get it out of her where we were going to go for her birthday, and she couldnt remember. She gave them answers everywhere from Chuck E. Cheese to Wisconsin Dells, but never once mentioned the movie theatre.
We didnt want her to go completely empty handed on her actual birthday, so she got to open a couple presents...Minnie Mouse Books from Grandma, and Pa and Aunt Mindy, a card with money from Grandma and Pa Heaton, and new PJ's with slippers to sleep comfortably in that night from us.

 She was being too silly for a good picture of her in her new PJ's, so this is the best one I captured by luck!

 The day of her birthday, we went to see Wreck it Ralph...with popcorn of course. We came home and decorated a gingerbread train (pictures later), opened presents and ate cake. She was pretty content with the simpleness of it all and so was I!

First present...The Lorax movie.

 Next and favorite...a new baby doll with Zebra outfits.

 And lastly, a huge princess coloring book complete with stickers!

 Oh, and she also got a pack of construction paper because man does the girl go through the paper around here! She was a little confused about getting paper for her birthday, but it didnt take her long to start cutting and coloring away on it!

Her cake of choice this year was chocolate oreo mint with whip cream for frosting...and of course mint chocolate chip ice-cream to go with it. Dont forget to top it with tinkerbell and some pink sparkly sprinkles! I love how easy she is! For now.

 I love how happy she looks with her cake.!

 Dont forget to lick the candles!

And now my youngest and last child is 4. I dont think I can continue to call her a baby anymore. ):

She wont be able to stop me from cuddling her though!