Endless Hats: Emma is 4!

I cannot believe 4 years have past since I first met my precious little Emma! It has been such fun to watch her grow into the spunky 4 year old she is today!
Emma was totally different from her brother even before she was born. I often tell of when I was pregnant with Caleb: he would very seldomly stick his foot out to where I could see and feel his heel on the right side of my belly. I soon learned that I better not touch it or he would quickly retract and the cool experience of "seeing" his heel would vanish. Now when I was pregnant with Emma, she would do the same thing, but when I would go to touch it she would just gladly leave it there to get rubbed!
Anyway, I say all that to say: Even before she was born, she had her little personality.
Emma is: sweet, happy, courageous, bright, dramatic, LOVES to sing! (especially while playing by herself!) shy, but when she gets comfortable - very bold. I am just recently starting to get reports of her "coming out of her shell" and talking when she's in her various classes. She loves playing with her "little people" and her and her bother have named them all - including 2 Sallys of which they had a birthday party for this morning, with a hand written sign and all! (I'm am currently writing this on Nov. 3 even though I will post this as the date of her birthday) She still loves Dora and Little Eisensteins. Emma has a great laugh! She loves to change her clothes! I have to put the reigns on that very often because laundry just becomes too much! She enjoys when I put braids in her hair (not while it's getting done, but once the torture of brushing is over) but at times asks for her hair to be left "flat and squrrily" (down and curly). She loves watching "Little House on the Prairie" and loves Laura.

On Emma's actual birthday, Mommy was at a Women's retreat in the morning :( but Daddy planned a great day that started at IHOP for pancakes where Emma got her usual smiley face pancakes,

then they drove across the street to Jersey Gardens mall where Caleb and Emma got big balloons from Prato, but Emma's balloon flew away :( Daddy said she didn't cry.Next stop IKEA where they got to play in the ballroom and then ate frozen yogurt.

Soon after everyone was home and Mommy cooked up Emma's requested Birthday dinner: a gourmet meal of hot dogs, chips and salad. (yes, she requested salad :) Pop pop, Grammy Z and Auntie Kel came for the good eats and brought some presents and balloons!

Emma with her presents. She got 2 families from the Lil Woodzeez toys at Target (love these! So does Emma!) And she got some chocolate from Gertrude Hawk. (I gave her the little people sitting next to her on the chair in the morning via a present I left)