Rooney, 4 1/2

Remember when I used to post about this girl every month? It's been a while! Can you believe how much she has grown? She is 4-and-a-half now, and don't forget the half!

I like to make a big deal of Half Birthdays, and this year we just so happened to be driving to Okoboji - one of her favorite places - for a family reunion.

GROWTH

My girl is getting so big! Lately I have just been staring in awe at her long legs. Most people comment on her height when they first meet her. She is as tall as many kids a year older than her! When switching her fall closet over, I was so surprised by how much she's grown.

• Height: 46"
• Weight: 45 lbs
• Clothing size: 5-6
• Shoe size: 12-13

FAVORITE THINGS

• Temporary tattoos
• Preschool
• Art projects: cutting, glueing, coloring, taping, stickers, sidewalk chalk
• Puzzles
• Baking/cooking
• Riding her bike
• Going to the library
• Playgrounds
• Getting the mail
• Snapchat faces
• Errands/riding in shopping carts
• Quality time with mom and dad

DISLIKES

• Toilets that automatically flush
• Getting her hands dirty

FIRSTS

• Mini golf (here's a short video)
• Vacation Bible School
• Tooth filling
• Sparklers
• Kids' Fun Run
• Hayrack ride

As she gets older, the "firsts" are less and less, but they are still SO much fun.

PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Learning how to unbuckle her car seat
• Learning how to play Yahtzee on my phone
• Modeling for Make It Yourself magazine
• Completing her daily sticker charts
• Learning to ride her bike (with training wheels)

A TYPICAL DAY

• 7:00 am: Wakes up and gets ready for the day
• 8:00 am: Goes to day care
• 12:30-3:00 pm: Preschool
• 5:15 pm: Home from school
• 7:00 pm: Gets ready for bed
• 7:30 pm: Lights out

Our bedtime routine is sticker chart (lock doors, jammies, brush teeth, potty), read a book in bed, lights out, two songs, two prayers, hugs and kisses, and then usually another prayer because she says she's scared.

SCREEN TIME

After Finch was born, we used the iPad a lot to keep her occupied while we tended to him. I'm happy to say that we are in a much better place now...the iPad is technically hers because she's really the only one who uses it, but we removed YouTube (best decision ever) and she really only uses it on LONG car rides.

BEHAVIOR

Age 3 was really hard for us, but 4, and especially 4.5, has been so much better! We will go full weeks now without a timeout, when beforehand I can remember doing three in one day!

I have heard of the theory that as kids creep toward their birthdays, behavior tends to worsen than when they creep toward their half birthdays. Does that make sense? I forget what book I read that in recently, but I think it's true about Roo!

PHASES

There is so much truth about how kids go through phases. The one you're currently in is always the hardest :-) We just got out of the "won't stay in bed" phase (thank GOD) - now we're in the "bedtime stalling" and the "cry every morning because my pants/underwear feel weird" phase. Help!

HEALTH

Praise the Lord for a healthy little girl. She has only been sick once or twice in the past year.

SCHOOL GIRL

Rooney absolutely loves going to preschool four afternoons a week, and is certain she is ready for kindergarten (and we mostly agree!). She can't wait to ride the bus! For the first week of preschool, all she wanted to read before bed was her orientation packet. Haha! We have a preschool workbook and she loves spending her free time learning, working on her letters, etc.

IMAGINATION

My favorite favorite favorite thing she is doing right now is sitting down with a book and reading it to herself (or Finch, or us). It is so adorable - her imagination just GOES and she makes up the cutest little stories.

BEING BRAVE

Rooney has gotten much more social and outgoing. She will tell the waiter what she wants to order, take a shower by herself (with a little help), and even leave my side when we're in public :-)

ONE-LINERS

Rooney is hilarious. We'll be driving down the road and she will just blurt out a random funny movie quote and it makes me laugh so hard! She is just like her dad in this way.

Overheard:

• "These clothes could use some washin'"
• "Do you like being a mama? Is it fun to have two kids?"
• "Mom, in the mirror it kinda looks like I'm 5!"
• "I need to organize my seatbelt!"

FAVORITE FOODS

• Corn dogs
• Tacos
• Macaroni and cheese
• Spaghetti
• Carrots
• Hummus
• Cheese pizza
• Hot dogs
• Strawberries
• Sesame chicken
• Pancakes
• Muffins
• Waffles
• Bacon
• Pork chops
• Corn on the cob
• Lemonade
• Beef sticks

MOMMY'S GIRL

Our relationship is ever-changing as she grows, and I love it. She asks to share clothes with me and has slowly circled back to being a mommy's girl after bonding with daddy so much after Finch was born. I'm so, so glad we get more time together now that Finch demands less of me. Being the parent that your kids want when they are sad or hurting is the best (exhausting, but the best). I love doing girly things with her like painting her nails and going shopping.

WHEN SHE GROWS UP, SHE WANTS TO BE A:

• Mommy
• School bus driver
• Teacher from school
• "Maker" with a hot dog store

LITTLE ATHLETE

We've started doing more activities with Rooney, like running, yoga, volleyball, mini golf and playing T-ball in the front yard. She loves it, gets so excited and is actually really, really good!

HAIR

I love her short bob, but she says she wants to grow her hair out now. We'll see how that goes. She is WAY better about letting us brush her hair now than she used to be.

BIG SIS

I felt guilty for a while that Rooney had to grow up and become more independent when her brother came along, but lately she has flourished into the role of "big sister." Finch calls her "sis" :-) I do feel bad because she still says she wants a little sister.

HALLOWEEN

For Halloween, she wants to be Ariel again (same as last year), but this year we convinced her to wear a wig! I can't wait to take pictures.

LOOKING FORWARD TO...

• Kindergarten
• Riding the school bus
• Going back to Okoboji
• Being able to read/watch Harry Potter

+++

Rooney, 

You are so awesome! Some of my favorite times are when you and I get to hang out together - just the two of us.

You are the happiest when you're creating - baking food, painting, etc. I hope you keep doing the things you love!

You are kind, thoughtful, silly, sassy and sweet. I always wanted to have a daughter. You are my dream come true.

xoxo, Mom