Dear 4 year old Ainsley!

Oh sweet girl, I can't believe that you are 4 today!  It seems like just yesterday your dad and I left our Daum Hall apartment (he was a Hall Director at the time) and headed to the hospital at 5:30 am on a Thursday, October 7th!  You were a week late, so we headed to the hospital to be induced.  Almost two days later you arrived at 12:37 am, Saturday, October 9th!  Anytime I think about those two long days I thank God that we both made it!

We knew from the moment we saw you that you were a precious gift!  It has been fun to watch your personality develop over the years.  You are sweet and kind, but you also aren't afraid to speak your mind! 

You have a sweet way of calling everyone "friend".  At your last ENT appointment you met a young girl in the waiting room and asked her to come to your birthday party.  You have a true gift of making people feel loved!  You also want to know everyones full names--you'll ask, "what's your first name?", "and middle name?", "what about your last name?".  You've done this to your new doctors several times and it always makes them laugh.  Maybe we all should be inquiring about middle names more--you may start a trend!

You have your dad's sense of humor.  You love to make us laugh.  You will tell us the silliest knock, knock jokes that make no sense--but they always make us laugh.  

Speaking of your daddy you have his sense of adventure!  You love to climb and jump!  You are a little dare devil!    

I often wonder what you'll want to be involved in during high school and college.  I 100% think you are going to be an RA--you definitely have an includer personality and if something is out of place you tell me or your dad right away.  Nothing gets past you!

Your teacher commented today on your manners.  You are very quick to say thank you or "sorry".  You accidentally bumped a car the other day in the parking lot with your shoulder and you said "sorry" to the car.  You then giggled once you knew what you said to the car.  You have a very sweet sense about you!  Except when it comes to dips.....you think that dip comes automatically with the breadsticks at Olive Garden.  The last two times we were there, you asked the waiter very directly "where's the dip".  Your dad and I were SO embarrassed because you used a very strong voice to let him know you weren't happy.  All of us had a good laugh about that....and then we order you some dipping sauce.

Speaking of food--your favorites right now are chocolate peanut butter, yogurt, chicken, corn, ice cream (from "Fairy Queen"--you think that is what DQ is called), pizza, and tomatoes!

You are starting to color/draw more.  You like to draw people and flowers!  You also like to work on art projects at school!

You love to read!  You could look at picture books for hours.  You like us to read to you and if we try to skip a page or two (if we are super tired) you are very quick to point that out!  

You love dresses, we try to get you to wear jeans or shorts and you will not have anything to do with them!  You pick out your clothes most days.  I normally lay out your outfit the night before and if I didn't run it by you, you quickly say "no, no, no"....in a nice way and then find yourself a dress to wear.  We are liking you being more independent!  

You like to write your name and you asked me to teach you how to draw the number 4 since you were turning 4.  

My prayer for your 4th birthday and this next year is that you would have good health, good friends, confidence in your speaking and a lot of FUN! 

Your dad and I will keep working at guiding you as you grow...and trying to keep up with all of your energy!
Love you sweet girl,
mom