Clara 4 Years

This kid turned four years old on Monday and truly, the thought it blowing my mind. How in the world have four years past before my eyes? I know, super cliche, but it is so very true.

I love waking the girls up on their birthday and taking a picture of their cute little sleeping selves, and also right after they are up. . .

"Wake up hair" is a real thing in this house. . .

See what I mean. . . Her hair is on point . . . 

Pure JOY. . .

A few things about Clara at age four years:

• She loves to swing outside, cuddle her big teddy bear in her room, play on mommy and daddy's bed, play on the iPad, and enjoys any toy that makes music and lights up.
• Her favorite foods include bananas, any type of berries, clementines, grapes, spaghetti, chicken nuggets, and of course, she would drink only milk forever and be perfectly content. Mommy is trying to get her to love water, but so far it isn't happening. 
• She attends full time therapy school, Monday - Friday, 8:30am-3pm. She gets private speech therapy once a week (goes a bit late to school on that day). Clara has intensive eye tests every 6 months and a basic eye check up (dilation to check for retinal dystrophy) every 3-4 months. 
• She is working on so many skills at school - gross motor (walking up/down stairs) and fine motor (using a fork, spoon etc), imitation, responding to her name, responding to basic directives, recognition of family members, language expression and comprehension (via PECS) and as you know, potty training as of last week. Our biggest prayer for Clara is that God would open her mouth to speak words. 
• She is 3 feet 4 inches tall (57%) and 36 pounds (62%). 
• She truly is pure joy. There is just no better word to describe this kid. She is my constant reminder that life throws us struggles and hardships, but that doesn't mean we have to throw ourselves a never ending pity party. Life is hard but life is beautiful. Clara reminds me daily that there is always much to celebrate, even in the hard. 

Potty practice . . . (she sleeps in Brandon's childhood baseball jerseys . . . so adorable)

She is starting to give her own version of a hug. This has taken years of practice. Melts my heart.

Happy 4th birthday, kiddo. You're simply the best! Excited to see where God takes you this year.