Laurel is 4 years old!

Wow.  This past year has gone by so fast.  After getting news of Elliott’s cancer diagnosis on Laurel’s 3rd birthday, we were immediately consumed with treatment, clinic visits, medications, hospitalizations, juggling schedules, sleeping on air mattresses, stress eating, and the list goes on.  I had no idea we wouldn’t blog for a whole year (except with updates on Elliottblog, but that really became our life).  This year, we are so excited that we are healthy and ready for a fun birthday weekend for Laurel.  She has been asking if it is her birthday since July 2nd, and the day is finally here.

So what is Laurel like at 4?  Absolutely, positively, full of energy and life.  She loves everything girly… jewelry, dress up, lip gloss, nail polish, shoes, dancing, dolls, hair, she loves it all.  She has a very vivid imagination and knows how to have a good time.  She loves to play with her friends and she is friends with EVERYONE.  She will make a random friend at the science museum (true story).  This summer, she has been in school, but she has also been taking swim lessons with her same classmates from last summer and also began taking ballet lessons.  She seems to really enjoy ballet, so we will see how long it lasts.  She took ice skating lessons this past winter, but she wasn’t super excited about it, so we stopped once her 6 week session was over.  I think she will stick with ballet and dance longer, but we’ll see.  She won’t have a recital until next May, but she should have more solid technique by then, so I will be super excited to see her and capture that moment.  I think she would say her favorite meal is chicken, french fries and lemonade and her favorite movie is probably Sleeping Beauty.  I am not sure why she likes that one so much, especially compared to the newer Disney movies, but it certainly is the most requested.  Her favorite things to play with are probably her princess dresses or her Barbie dolls.  If she is playing with Elliott, LEGO blocks would probably be the chosen activity.  We also have membership to the Dallas Zoo and Perot Museum of Nature and Science this year and she has very much enjoyed going to both places now that Elliott can get out and about as well.  Overall, she is a happy girl and knows how to have a good time.  I hope she always stays that way.  We need more happy people in the world.

We will post more photos after the party, but here are some from her impromptu party at home since today (Friday) was her actual Birthday.

HAPPY 4th BIRTHDAY LAUREL!!  WE LOVE YOU!