WALKING (4 1/2 YRS OLD)

Walking with S on errands has been a hassle for momma. Today momma and S walked from the Regal Movie theater to Central Market. During the walk, momma spent most of her time trying to keep S from getting runned over in the parking lot or getting lost.

She wants to be independent: walk without holding momma's hand and crossing the street by herself. But often, momma reprimands her for walking in the middle of the parking lot. She doesn't watch out for cars in the parking lot. She often forgets to look both ways when crossing the street. Frequently, she blazes her own path, running here or there, around the corner, or to another store, without knowing where she's going. Even worse, she loses momma and panics.

When momma tries to hold her hand, she pulls away and when momma tries to grab her to stop her from getting hit she tries to pull away, too. This constant battle tires momma out.

Momma thinks this is all a learning process -- but in the meantime, momma is going crazy from keeping S safe. By the end of the day, momma's had enough of being momma.

MARRIAGE ADMENDENT (4 1/2 YRS OLD)

Momma asked if S was still going to marry Finn. She responded with "I don't know." Momma, asked "why."

S responded with, "I asked Finn if he wanted to still marry me and he said, 'I don't know." Momma asked, "Do you want to marry Finn?" S responded with, "I don't know."

Momma couldn't help but laugh and said, "It's okay not to know. Most people don't get married until they are 30 anyway." "30?" responded S, as if that was forever.

NAP TIME (4 1/2 YRS OLD)

S has consistently been giving up naps now. For a while it was touch and go. The outcome of being napless is tired, whiney and clingy by the end of the day. The three state of S that momma dislikes most. Plus, she often "needs" to be with momma more. That makes night time rituals that daddy does, more difficult.

On the other hand, S is out very quickly at nightime... if only momma and daddy can get her in bed before 9 pm.

P.S. S's favorite nightime bedsong has switched from Nina to Jingle Bells.

CLOTHING (4 YRS OLD)

S now wears a size 5 or size 6 pants but she still wears a 4T, 5T, and size S tops. Her legs are longer than her torso, just like daddy. She is also now 43 inches tall but has remained 40 lbs throughout the summer and fall.

As far as her sense of style goes, she still likes everything pink. She prefer dresses over pants and perfers legging over jeans. She's been mixing and matching her own clothes for awhile, which often result in a pink shirt, pink shorts, and a skirt over it all.

HOUSTON ROAD TRIP (4 YRS OLD)

Auntie Fiona, Talia, Alvie, Momma and S have been taking a couple of roadtrips. The second one was to the Rennaissance Festival to show off the beautiful dresses that Aunt Fiona and Momma made.

The day turned out to be gray and slightly damp. The Ren Fest was abandoned. Fortunately, there was still plently to do in Houston. The gang spent the day at the Aquarium. The kids rode all the rides at least three times, with the exception of the Light House. Talia and Sarah rode it 6 times and they walked through the Aquarium exhibit twice. Momma's favorite part about the Aquarium, besides having the amusement rides to themselves, was how the tiger was so interested in watching Talia and S pretend to be tigers in front of her cage. S's favorite part was the light house, probably for Ta too.

In the afternoon, everyone headed to the Natural Science museum to get their second wind. All the girls were enthralled with the mineral and gem room. When they entered the area where the jewelry were displayed the girls remarked, "that they were in the princess room" since the display were tiara, fancy earrings, rings, and necklaces.

The long day ended at momma's favorite buffet. Momma was ready to go on but Auntie Fiona probably had her third wind by then. Good thing, Aunt Fiona agreed to head home.

HALLOWEEN