Happy Birthday Princess!

Happy birthday Marlee Josephine!

Marlee turns four today!

Four!

How is it even possible for her to be four years old? 

Time is certainly getting away from me. I just brought her home from the hospital. Swaddled her in her bed. Stayed up all night with her as she cried and stared at her all day as she slept soundly. Now I prepare her for preschool and listen to her speak with such confidence and knowledge. I beg her to stay small but she isn't having it. Four going on fourteen, with the sass to prove it. 

Last year I did a little interview with Marlee and actually remember to interview her again! She is quite funny with her answers and I love picking her brain. 

What is your favorite color? Pink and teal

What is your favorite toy? My Little Pony toys

What is your favorite food? Grapes and blueberries

What is your least favorite food? Lemons

What is your favorite TV show? Wild Kratts

What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Blueberries and applesauce

What is your favorite snack? Fruit snacks

What is your favorite animal? Polar bears

What is your favorite song? Moana song 

What is your favorite book? Elsa book

Who is your best friend? Adalaide (I have been replaced)

What is your favorite cereal? Fruit Loops

What is your favorite thing to do outside? Drive my big truck!

What is your favorite drink? Juice

What is your favorite store? Baby Panda store

What do you want to be when you grow up? A police officer

I feel like I need to clarify that the "baby panda store" is actually Panda Express in Belden Village. I don't have the heart to tell her that there are no baby pandas in there regardless of what's on the sign. I will take this secret to my grave.  

Today we will have a small get together with rainbow cake and cookies. She will joyfully open presents and I will take a million pictures. I will imagine her staying this age forever knowing tomorrow she will be one day closer to five years old. 

But for today, she is four. She is intelligent and funny and sweet. She adores her family and loves to be outside. She is stubborn like I am and silly like her father. She cries when she has to sleep but only because she doesn't want to miss anything. She hates bugs and pasta. Yes, I gave birth to an Italian baby that hates pasta. Italian mom fail. She is artist and could paint for hours.

She is destined for great things.

Ok now for photo mania. 

Vacation 2017

I let Nick talk me into taking a vacation. I had two weeks off this month (praise the Lord) and he wanted to spend one of them down in Florida. I'm not going to sugar coat it - I didn't want to go. Not even a little bit. Vacation with children is horrible. Vacation with children is just watching your own children in another state without the comforts of routines and nap time. There is no relaxing and if I'm going on vacation to the beach, I want to sit on the beach, relax, and get my tan on.

But we went. Was it relaxing? No. Did we all have a great time? Yes.

The kids loved everything from sleeping in an unfamiliar bed to running full speed into the ocean. They loved hearing what the "game plan" for each day would be and being able to walk right to the pool after lunch. They loved the sun almost as much as I love the sun of Florida.

Vacation is for the kids. It's about the memories and the laughter. It may not have been relaxing but it was worth it. It always is when it comes to family.