Happy Birthday Lauren! #4

Lauren loved all of her gifts and the anticipation of her new bike waiting for her at home. A four-year old with attitude.

I think it was last year that I wrote that none of us could believe Lauren was only three! She just seemed to have been around for so much longer. I think she is an old soul. But this year I feel like she caught up to her age a bit. She can and will talk your ear off, loudly if need be. She really would prefer to be called Clara, Lisa, or Leah. She often comes from another room to tell me she was playing all by herself and ask me if I am proud of her (after only a few minutes.) Needless to say, she is not the most independent player but definitely my most independent child. She is a smarty-pants and gives her older brother & sister a run for their money sometimes. She does NOT back down. She does NOT like pity or sympathy. She loves to giggle and be tickled. She likes to watch kid shows. She is a social child but sometimes likes to hide behind the term 'shy'. I am happy she embraces being born the day after Valentine's day b/c I dreaded it for her. I hope she and Gentry grow closer together in the future or are at least kind to one another and respect each other's strong personalities. I hope she doesn't learn to read any sooner or how to do math. I hope she will want her hair cut short again in a cute little bob. I hope she quits grinding her teeth so badly that they chip. But mostly, I hope that she will overcome any and all middle-child syndrome effects.