Amanda, Age 4

I started this post nearly a month ago so I better just post it before I decide to skip it...

Amanda had her four year check-up this week, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to make good on my promise to do a special birthday post for her.  Never mind that its two and a half months late.  You see, it's so hard to know where to even start with this girl.  There is something very special about her. I can't really even put my finger on it or explain, but here's trying...

She truly is like a little ray of light where ever she goes. She is compassionate, considerate and sensitive.  She is discerning and witty.  I joke about it, but I really could see a future for her in the judicial system.  She seeks justice for others (not herself) in all her dealings and, like her daddy, is a very good arguer on the fly.  She has a good memory and makes valid points.

She is very enthusiastic about life. She loves life. She fiercely loves her brother and sister and even at this tender age would do just about anything for them.  Every night she says Mom, may you please lay down with me for a little bit?  Then I will ask her what her favorite part of the day was and she will invariably say Being with you and being with Daddy.

She is dramatic. She is happy. She is pouty.  We have an unspoken motto in our house that "if Amanda ain't happy, ain't nobody happy".  We never know what we are getting with her.  For instance, I will be three quarters of the way up the stairs to put something away or change the baby and she starts loudly crying from the bottom of the stairs.  Mom, I wanted to hold your hand!  And even though I didn't know she wanted to come up stairs or even knew she knew I was going, this will send her into a mood for a good little while.

Amanda loves her Bear.  She's had him since she was three weeks old and they've formed a sweet friendship.  Bear is who she goes running to when she's upset...he always seems to understand.  She loves to suck on the ribbon tied around his neck or stick it in her nose...or both.  When no one else in the family seems to love her (which happens on a somewhat regular basis) Bear always does.

She can often be heard in her room singing and playing make-believe with her barbies. She likes to twirl. She likes to change her clothes about three times a day.

She also likes to copy what her sister is wearing.  She is very strong and independent, yet cares very deeply about what her sister thinks of her and how she measures up.

She is such a good sharer.  If she has one of something, she'll give you half without even thinking about it.  Every time we go to the nursing home we visit a lady who has a stash of candy.  Without fail, she always asks if she can take one for her daddy.

Amanda has a gift with people.  I know I talk about it quite a bit but its very remarkable to us.  It really is...well...a gift.  She is disarmingly cute and friendly and inquisitive.  Its unexpected for someone her age and catches people off guard.  She can turn the sourest face into a smile within seconds and be fully engaged in a conversation in less than a minute. 

My most recent example of this is from BJs two days ago.  We were checking out and she and Aiden were sitting in the front of the carriage, facing the lady waiting behind us.  Before I knew what was happening, Amanda was asking her about the patch on her eye.  What happened?  Does it hurt?  Does it make her sad?

The lady was a good sport and answered all the questions.  Once I was finished paying, we stayed and talked to her for a while as she recounted her blessings of a miraculous recovery from a drunk driver hitting her 20 years ago.  Though she is mostly recovered, her prosthetic eye gives her trouble every couple years.  Sadly, I would have passed this lady by with barely a glance, but that's just not Amanda's way and I love that about her.  I'm watching and learning, too!

Oh, and for her wellness check-up...she is 36 lbs, 50th percentile for weight and 20th for height.  I'd like to say that she took her three shots like a trooper, but actually she screamed and I had to pin her down.  After it was over and she'd calmed down, I asked her if she'd like to go get some ice-cream.  With her lower lip out she said, no, I just want to do something special with Daddy...like go to CEC.  I made a call to the office and thankfully Shaun had a half hour break, so we stopped in to see him and recount our tales. :)
 
She is the firecracker in our house and we all love her dearly.