Happy Birthday To My Pink Princess

So in all the frenzy of Oscars and the cat, my parents coming to visit and Olivia's last week of school (where, of course, they are having a week long celebration of their anniversary which requires me to be there for events in the morning and afternoon) somewhere in there my kid turned four. This was a very emotional birthday for me because I really had to say goodbye to my baby this year. Olivia has always been very independent, but the last of the things that she needed my help for disappeared over the past few months. She zips her own coat, no longer allows me into the stall in the public restroom and even used turning four as impetus to conquer her fear of the very large macaw at the pet store, without any prompting from me. I am a proud mama these days, even if it has been a little trying with the attitude and the boundry-pushing and the negotiating, oh and the scheming. I know that I get to hang on a little longer, though, because when I asked her today how she felt about tomorrow being her last day at school she said, "Good, I like being at home with you." Me too kiddo.

So I am going to work hard this year to treasure what is left of my little baby, to try not to complain, and really document the last of my time with her before she goes off into the world to become a big girl.