Cora turned 4!

Is this what it feels like to be a parent? Left behind in the dust wondering how in the world your child is growing up so fast and wishing you could slow down time? Brad's joke with Cora lately has been that he's "going to take away her birthday" so she can't get any older. At first she was quite alarmed but has come to realize that he's teasing her (and she will tell him "You're teasing me, daddy!") and that he can't really take her birthday away!

We had so much fun celebrating Cora's 4th birthday in early January. We took advantage of having some family still in town after Uncle Ryan and Aunt Bri's wedding, so we celebrated with Cora's cousins and aunties and Grandma B on Sunday. For her birthday, Cora requested that three of her girl friends come over for a party wearing their "dancing princess dresses". We also beaded necklaces and enjoyed playing a new game she received for her birthday with her friends. And that night Grandma and Grandpa came over for a birthday dinner of salmon, creamy potatoes and broccoli, and of course, cake and ice cream.

Cora is a healthy, happy little lady. She is generally kind and thoughtful to those around her. She loves playing with Little People and giving them names and making them talk in high voices. Cora is very imaginative and creates stories and adventures wherever she is. She loves craft-time - painting and play-doh are at the top of the list. She loves being read to but is not very interested in learning to read on her own. She's able to write her own name and will often say "Hey, Play starts with Peter" as she's noticing that words start with the same sounds. We often remark at her incredible sense of direction, knowing that she comes by that naturally, and still enjoys putting together puzzles and does very well with little help.

Some of our favorite current mispronunciations of hers are: grubbage (for garbage), oar-port (for airport), kaynoe (mixing kayak and canoe), mazagine (for magazine), plano (for piano). Another common phrase Cora says a lot lately is "when I was a little girl" as she talks about anything that has happened "yesterday", meaning anything in the past. Even if it was only a few months ago she refers to it as "when I was a little girl" and she will tell you she is a "big girl" not a "little girl".

According to the 4 year old herself, these are her current favorites:
Colors: pink and purple
Friends: Caroline from preschool
Food: pizza
Movie: Berenstein Bears Go to Grandma's House
And she wants to "be a cheerleader" when she grows up!