Lulu is 4.

Ok, I tried to make my posts through Flikr, but, clearly I have not mastered that just yet. I think I have to upgrade to do it the way I want to...oh, well. Here is a more proper documentation of Hope's Birthday!

Hope Louise is one of my favorite people in this world! I know, as her mother, I am required to say that right? Probably. But she is just an awesome little girl. This year has been a big one. We have been back in Arkansas for a full year now. She has adjusted well, of course. How could you not, when your cousins are nearby, your Mimi hangs out at your school all day, and your mommy works at your church? I think it's a pretty good life for Hope Louise.

Hope remains small for her age, but I think it is beginning to be less noticeable. I don't think she will be as much of a runt as I was. She wears 3t clothes. I keep trying to buy her 4s and they keep dropping off of her. Her legs are pretty long, but that waist is tiny. She has worn a size 8 shoe since we moved from Texas. Not sure what's up with that. (April, do you remember the brown Mary Janes we bought for her at the mall? She still wears those!)

Hope takes a lot of classes! She takes Ballet, Spanish, Gymboree, Computer, Music, and Gymnastics. Before any of you get on to me for overscheduling my child, just know that all of those take place at her school during the school day, except for Gymnastics. It is another benefit of going to the fabulous school. She is learning so much. Her knowledge of the computer is crazy. She kept talking about the computer's brain the other day. I had no idea what she was talking about, until she said "The CPU is the computer's brain, mommy," oooooo k. Gotcha. She loves her teacher, Ms. Kendra. I think Kendra just "gets" her. She understands how she ticks.

She loves her church so much. Sundays are probably her favorite days. She knows if she gets up early and gets dressed then she can go in early and help mommy get things set up for Sunday School. And we go get a donut. Daddy and Noah come a little later, but she usually goes with me. She can only take a few minutes of the contemporary service. She is still sensitive to loud noises and the music is just too much, so one of us will leave the service and take her to her classroom when she has had enough. She loves all the girls that work in the preschool area, but is especially attached to her Sunday School teacher, Ms. Bari. Ms. Bari wears lip gloss and Hope thinks that is fabulous. Ms. Bari is a lot of fun and Hope comes away understanding the lesson! She "gets" Hope too.

Hope is doing really well at gymnastics. She loves to play dress up. She has a list of favorite places to eat. She can read most simple words, and can try to sound out any word. She read "Casa Mexicana" last week. Not the sign, but me writing it out. She loves her brother, sometimes a little too much! She does not like when he cries, and will cover her ears and usually cry some too. She sleeps in her bed, most nights now, though she will usually find her way to my bed at some point during the night! She is just growing up way too fast!