And then my baby was 4

4 years ago today, our family was completed with this little ball of joy...

 It has been an absolute blast watching her grow into the smart and sassy 4 year old she is today. As a baby she wanted to be held constantly. She preferred to "snack" nurse as opposed to do big feedings. It took her awhile to sleep through the night but once she did, she was a consistently good sleeper! She was happy and entertained easily.

Her bald head stayed bald for quite awhile and her blue eyes just kept getting bluer. She has always been such a cuddler, even now she will wrap her arms and legs around you and hold on tight, it is such a comforting feeling.

This girl can be laid back and her number one priority has always been fun. And snacking. Seriously, this girl doesn't eat a complete meal still. Just wants to snack all day long...so that's super fun!

One of the things I love about Reese is that she marches to the beat of her own drum. You would think with a big sister she would always be trying to keep up and follow her, but honestly, Reese will do her own thing when she wants. Even if all the kids are doing one thing, she will go off alone and be content to play by herself. I do love this about her and pray she is always so confident and content to be her true self.

It's easy to get nostalgic when going back and looking at all these fun pictures, it reminds me what a sweet and hilarious little person she is.

Also though? 3's rocked my world. The 2's were difficult but the 3's nearly killed me. The tantrums and ornery attitude were constant at points and exhausting. But as the 4's neared we started seeing a glimpse into less tantrums and more of a cognitive understanding of the world and how things worked. 

At times, she loves to tease her big sister and get on her nerves. There were days this past summer I lost hope of them ever being nice to each other. But they always proved me wrong and just when I thought I was going to lose my mind (ok, maybe after I lost my mind at times), they would love on each other and play so well together.

Reese will always have her big sister looking out for her, no matter what kind of fighting they might do.

So now I look at this sweet blond haired little girl, who puts her shoes on the wrong feet, rarely naps anymore, and has the cutest laugh ever...and I think back on the infamous morning she was born. The morning I woke up at 3 am, arrived at the hospital at 5:45 am, and delivered her at 6:13 am...and I think how blessed I am that she is here and how grateful I am for all the lessons she teaches me as a mother and a person.

I love this little girl so much and cannot believe that my baby is 4 years old.

Time is flying by.
Reese, may you always cuddle so tight I can barely breath. May you always wake me in the morning with a kiss. May you always look to your sister for comfort. May you always laugh with your Dad until you can hardly breath. And may you always know the love your family has for you and that no matter what happens in life, good or bad, we will be here.
Love you Reese's Pieces peanut butter ball!!!!