FOUR the love...

...this little lady is growing up so fast!  She is our resident second mom, helper, drama mama, princess, lover of dresses, singer and snuggler.  Tyler calls her Daughter Dearest and has been teasing her about not being allowed to get older.  It's a frequent conversation 'round these parts lately.  In exasperation Kelly will respond, "Da-ad, I HAVE to get older...but I'll still be your Daughter Dearest, even when I'm a mom."  Then he makes her promise, and she obliges.

Sister insists on freshly painted toenails and I am happy to deliver because it means that I am freshly painted as well.  And OF COURSE we have to have matching toes, so my nails are often pink with a sparkly coat over top.  Every time I see them I smile because they make me think about my little girl and how lucky I am to have her.

We went to see the baby doc this morning and when we got home Kelly said, "So boys AND girls can be doctors." (her pediatrician is a lady, the baby doc is a guy) I said, "Yep, do you want to be a doctor when you grow up?" She thought for a second and then said, "Ummm...AFTER a princess." I suggested that maybe she could do both at the same time and she said, "Yeah! That's what I'll do. I want to do that."

Kelly is very smart and is trying to do Kindergarten along with Max.  The other day I had to create some homework for her because Max was getting so annoyed with her trying to help him with his.  It was funny because she found the right answer before him and he was telling her she was wrong, but I pointed out that she was actually spot-on...she didn't gloat, though.  And she is a major perfectionist.  If the line for her P doesn't come out exactly straight then she'll erase until she gets it right...I'm trying to work on her loosening up a little with that.

Every night, just as we are walking out of her room, she ALWAYS says, "Good night, I love you, see you in the morning."  And if you don't repeat it to her just.like.that, then she'll shout it again and again until you open the door and say it back to her.

I love looking in the silverware drawer after Kelly has emptied the silverware from the dishwasher.  Everything is perfectly stacked and it makes me smile.

Kelly is my helper.  She'll often be on the kitchen counter when I am cooking dinner or baking, asking what she can do next.  When I am cleaning the house, she'll ask for a rag and find something to wash.  I am always impressed with how long she'll stay at a job...anything that she is working on gets her full attention.  This week she washed the front of all of the kitchen cabinets and drawers (without being asked) and I even saw her polishing off each of the knobs on the drawers when I was passing by.

Sister is very girly and loves to wear dresses.  I have to talk her into jeans some days.  She has several hairstyles she likes to choose from.  Recently she discovered some bracelets her Aunt Jenn made for her when she was a baby.  I'd put them away because I thought they were too small, but we tried them all on and all but a few of them still fit (I'm bummed that I didn't know that a while ago)!  So every day since, I have to get all of her bracelets out and she chooses the one that she thinks will look best for the day.  Today her dress had several colors that matched several bracelets, so she wore two on each wrist.

Kelly has felt the baby move the very most because she is so patient and will sit next to me for a long time with her hand on my belly.  In fact, she is pretty darn good at sitting still for long periods of time.  At church a few weeks ago she sat next to me and about halfway through the meeting she leans up and whispers in my ear (she is BIG on whispering in my ear...it's very cute), "It's fun just sitting here next to each other."

Bo Bell is such an awesome sister and is going to be my right-hand woman when the babe is born.  She has an innate nurturing quality.  These brothers are super lucky to have her in their lives!

She is a Daddy's girl, for sure, but she definitely has an affinity for her mama and I love that.  She is so sensitive to other people's feelings and a very obedient little girl.  So the drama mama part of her personality is totally bearable.  We love our Kelly Anne.  SO.VERY.MUCH.  We are truly blessed to call her ours.