Livi turns 4!!

 she requested a rainbow cake

...A month ago.  I'm a little slow on the blogging front.  For months leading up to her birthday if she saw something she liked she would ask if she could get it for her birthday. I would say, "wow, that's cool! we'll see!"  She did get the one thing that she wanted the most, a bike with peddles.  She has had a glider bike for a while and has been asking for a bike with peddles since last year.  I can't believe I didn't take a picture of it!  It is a purple and green fairy bike with a little basket/radio on the front that plays music and lights up.  She absolutely loves it and would ride it all day if she could.  

For her birthday we had a little pool party with her closest friends.  She had a great time with her friends and got some awesome gifts.  Even though she looks less than amused in all her present pictures, she was jumping for joy on the inside.  She doesn't like being the center of attention and she gets really stoic when people are watching her and looking for a reaction. As soon as we were alone she was talking non stop about how awesome all of her presents were. Phil was the same way when he was younger.  His mom went so far as to wrap empty boxes and have Phil open them in order to practice showing excitement. Livi is so much like Phil in so many ways it's hilarious.  

A few particulars about her at the age of 4:

she is very fastidious when it comes to touching things. Before touching just about anything, she'll ask me, "is this sticky?"  The other day I picked up some cinnamon rolls from Costco and I asked her to hold the box while I got Jack out of the car.  When we got upstairs she came up to me with a very disgruntled look on her face and said, "I'm SO mad at you!  You made me hold those cinnamon rolls and now my hands are sticky!!" (they weren't) 

She LOVES Dora.  She would watch it all day if I let her, and that's not an exaggeration.  She also is currently loving, The Backyardigans and Super Why. 

She still loves to be in her underwear. As soon as we walk in the door she strips down.

She is really worried about going to live with Jesus.  She is afraid of learning how to swim because she's worried she will, "sink down to Jesus."

She LOVES to swim...with floaties.  

She HATES to get her hair wet.  If anyone around her splashes she gets really upset.

She is incredibly smart and loves to learn.  She loves working on writing her letters and practicing their sounds.  She loves picking a letter and asking me to name everything I can think of that starts with that letter.  The other day Jack was playing with a puzzle and one of the pieces is a bird.  I told Jack it was a bird and Livi (from across the room) said very matter of factly, "it's a mccaw."  

She is the BEST!  She brings so much joy to our family I don't know what I would do without her. She plays so well with Jack.  I love making dinner and hearing them in their room playing and laughing together.