Four on the Floor ⇒

Happy 4th birthday to my dear daughter.

I asked Elise this morning what her favourite part of being three was and she said "going to preschool." Just the fact that she said that will tell you how much she has changed since her birthday last year. I am sure I wrote about the separation anxiety she experienced going to preschool and, until the last couple of months of the school year, I wouldn't have said she particularly loved going. But in those last couple of months, at age 3 and a half, Elise suddenly emerged from her shell.

Since then we have had this delightfully talkative (I mean she talks anyone's ear off who will listen) funny, sweet, goofy person living in our house. She enjoys playing with other kids, even Daniella!

Elise is a budding artist. She doesn't really play with toys at the moment. She spends most of her time doing art projects which, of course, I am thrilled about being somewhat creative myself. I converted the playroom (in reality, it was just a toy depository anyway) into an art room with three art tables and I brought up all my supplies from my art cupboard downstairs and said "have at ‘em!" The only challenge is what to do with all the products of her creativity.

If she does play with toys, it is usually My Little Pony or Baby Jenny but when she plays she more often does things like tie a string on a box and say it's a dog. She also plays dress up. I had a hard time figuring out what to get her for her birthday this year. I have bought her some puppets to go with the puppet theatre my talented Mum made her and some amazing plastic beads that can be used and re-used. I thought I'd wait to see what turned up at her party since I told a few people about getting her craft supplies and dress up clothes. I'll maybe get her a few more things but honestly she'd be happiest with some nice balls of yarn and some cardboard boxes.

I am thoroughly grateful for her imagination and hope I can nurture it well as I am blessed with a great imagination myself. As Anne Shirley says "There is so much scope for the imagination" in life.

Elise is kind and sensitive. She will tend to get upset if others are upset around her and since I am a reactor, I have caused tears to spring to her eyes even when I'm not angry - just by being surprised when she does things I didn't expect. I am working on this but it's difficult.

Well, I have to go and cut some material with my birthday girl right now. Happy Birthday, my baby.