Happy 4th Birthday!

Today will include: pink and white balloons, pink streamers, Cinderella and friends plates and napkins, tiaras, "pwitty dwesses", maybe spaghetti, most likely squeals of delight, and a purple cake.  Purple, people.  Purple.  (Assuming that I can manage that.  I have some crazy ideas on how to make that happen.)

Today is our Princess' 4th birthday.

We don't usually call her "Princess".  Only for today we will.  Even though she really thinks she is a princess.  Not just any princess, though.  Cinderella to be more exact.  There are moments when I think she really truly believes she is a princess.

This could have something to do with her flitting around the house flapping her hands saying, "I'm a princess!  I'm a princess!"

Ok.  She doesn't really do that.  I just made that up.

Seriously, though, there are moments where I think she really believes she is Cinderella.  Like the time she came crying to me, "They are calling me fake!"  What cruel thing could her siblings mean this time?  I found out they were saying that Cinderella was fake.  And since she herself is Cinderella . . . she is fake.  I had to explain that Cinderella is fake but she, my daughter, is real.  She finally got it.

Anyway.  Back at the castle.

Today she gets to be a princess (Again.  We did this last year, too.  But this year is even better because . . . well . . . she's a year older . . . I dunno.).  And not only is she going to be a princess . . . she's going to be a "big girl" . . . A Big Girl!

Do you know what this means?  Have you any idea?

Think back to Mary Poppins wearing diapers . . .

Yeah baby!

She claims she will start using the toilet.

We even bought her princess undergarments, yesterday (last year), to seal the deal.

We'll probably start tomorrow, though.  I hope it's not a mistake.  It's just that I can't see Princess trying to use the toilet, regularly, for the first time while wearing a formal gown.  Doesn't seem practical.  Call me crazy.

I'm excited about today.  I TOTALLY remember my 4th birthday.  Seems like only 31 years ago. (Oh, wait.  It was.)  I remember the excitement.  The last few days I've seen that same excitement in her eyes.  So very fun.

What excites me the most is getting to see her and her siblings enjoying the day.  Our little princess is one who possesses much excitement and enthusiasm when others succeed or have something neat happen to them.  She's our family cheerleader.  Even though her personality demands the center of attention, often, that is not what she is after.  So even with her being the center of attention today she will still get so excited to see her sisters dressed in "pwitty dwesses" and her brother dressed in a suit (I don't think he's going to get out of that one since she will need a prince for the day).

What makes me even more excited about today is her getting to open her gifts.  Gifts her siblings give her.  Gifts that we spent HOURS searching for yesterday (even though this prego body so desperately needed to lay down but the kids just HAD to find their sister gifts . . . with their hard earned money).  Seeing the faces of her brother and sister as she opens the presents they sought and bought.  Seeing the delight of "it is better to give than to receive".  Very precious.

So here's to a happy 4th birthday on the first day of a new year!

- it's blahg!  MB