Sam is 4!

| September 23, 2013

It is unbelievable to us that our little girl is now 4 years old. Where the time went, I have no idea. It seems like time is passing by at warp speed and it is hard to keep up, to keep all the little things in memory. Every day there is something Sam does or says that just cracks me up laughing or makes me smile and I think, I have to remember that, and I swear, half of them I don’t. But I do try, and I keep the blog, and hopefully, I do remember the important things. Like Sam’s birthdays.

We started the day before her birthday with a few presents. Her birthday was on a Monday this year, and her party the day before. The Friday prior, Sam came home from school not feeling all that well. Her throat was bothering her and she had some sniffles but she was pretty much her same old self, minus a bit of spunk. We planned on taking it easy on Saturday to help her rest, and Mark thought that it would be nice to start her birthday weekend with some presents. Mark and Sam love playing with his cars. Her favorite seems to be a white SUV with a siren on top, so he got her a bunch of new cars, rescue vehicles and trucks, and all the things she likes best.

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Her favorite of this group turned out to be the helicopter!

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Playing at home quietly was just the thing to start the weekend.

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By Sunday, Sam was feeling pretty good, so on with the party! This year, Sam was very insistent she wanted a Cinderella party, so a Cinderella party she had!

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One of Sam’s favorite things is balloons, so we had a lot of those. When I came walking down the driveway with the two dozen, I heard her yells of excitement before I even got to the door.

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While I was out picking up some last minute food, Sam had fun playing bop the balloons.

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My mom tried to get Sam to sit still for a picture, but Sam was so full of energy and excitement she kept running around and around the house. 🙂

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We put up this huge Cinderella banner for Sam to take pictures with. She insisted on holding Cinderella’s hand.

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It was a great party, with a lot of good food and our family, but, come on now, Sam is 4!  What she really cares about is….presents!! She certainly got a lot of those. We are very lucky to have such generous family and friends.

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For months, Sam has been telling me: “Do you want to know what I am getting for my birthday? Mickey Mouse at the playground and Mickey Mouse in her room.” These are two Minnie Mouse playsets that she saw at the Disney Store in I think May of this year. One is a playground and the other, that Sam calls “her room” is actually a beauty shop. And she never says Minnie — always Mickey. Oh well. Anyway, there was no way I couldn’t have bought them. After the first three or four times she mentioned it, I knew I’d be in big trouble if they weren’t her gifts. So, of course, they were.

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Happy girl!

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It was very cute. She told me every few weeks what she was getting for her birthday. She was pretty definite about it. But a few days before her party I think she got nervous because for the first time instead of telling me what she is getting, she said, “Mommy?  Did you buy Mickey Mouse at the playground and in her room?” As if I wouldn’t….she should know me better than that!

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Sam got some wonderful presents from everyone, including this Doc McStuffins sticker and craft set from Krista, Adam and Maddox. She also got the rocketship Maddox got last year for Christmas, which she was so happy about.

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Mom Mom and Pop Pop got her some wonderful clothes and this talking Cinderella doll.  Sam was so excited!

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Grandmom and Poppy got her some books and Twister.  Sam is always playing a Twister like game on my mom’s rug so she thought it would be perfect.

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She also got a Hello Kitty outfit from my friend, Debbi, some money for her college fund from all of her grandparents and from her Poppy’s brother Anthony and his wife Kathy, and some sidewalk chalk, some coloring supplies, and a gift card from our wonderful neighbors, Joe and Debbie.  Sam is certainly well loved!

Now it was time for the cake! I think this Cinderella Magic cake was perfect, and so did Sam. When I brought it home from the store, she must have grabbed her little stool to go look at it a hundred times.

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Mark asked Sam to pick a piece and of course she was pointing to the one with the gobs of orange frosting!

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Make a wish and blow!

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At the end of the festivities, Sam gave Mom Mom and Pop Pop a gift of their own — a birdhouse that she painted all by herself. She gave one to Grandmom and Poppy earlier in the week too. It is good to give gifts on your birthday as well as to receive.  Hobbit style!

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Happy, happy birthday to our dear little girl. We are so proud of you!