Days in the life of the Hays: Happy 4th Birthday Carli!

Carli -

I am not sure I will ever quit being amazed at how quickly a year passes and how much you change in that year. Four years old. I have a four year old. Wow. I am so proud and humbled to be your Momma. You are one amazing little girl. With each year, you teach me so much, I can only pray that I am doing the same for you!

This past January you started preschool at Oak Tree Academy. Honestly I was not ready for you to start. I secretly hoped you would not like it and I could keep you at home. :) But you surprised us all by walking in on your first day, giving me a hug and telling me to have a good day. I was proud and kind of sad. You went from my toddler to a preschooler right before my eyes! Ava got lots of cuddles that day! I sure did miss you at home. I did eventually adjust and you loved learning at school. Your teacher was Ms. Kristal and you adored her. You made lots of new friends: Shiloh, Payton, Matthew and Constantine to name a few. Every day you would come home excited to share with Ava what you had learned.

This summer you had Ms. Laura as your teacher and enjoyed getting to share your school with Logan for a little bit. After we took the month of August off, you took Ava's hand and led her into her first day of school. It was awesome to watch you be such a good big sister telling Ava what was what and making sure she knew where you would be while she was in her classroom. Your new teacher this year is Ms. Donna. Both Ava's teacher and Ms. Donna love to tell us that you and Ava find each other on the playground and have a little chat before going to play with your friends. It makes me smile to hear them praising what an awesome sister you are to Ava!

We started working on memory verses with you and you did so well! We got all the way from A to G before Momma fell off the wagon! You enjoyed learning so much, which I think is why you adjusted so well to school. You may look like your Daddy but you are quite eager to please when it comes to school.

This past year we were blessed to have Uncle Andy, Aunt Chelle and Logan move to Tyler. You have enjoyed getting to see Logan so much more. We got to pick Logan up from school a lot! It is a joy to get to see you guys play together. We have been blessed even more to go to church with them and Grammy and Pa on Wednesday nights. Aunt Chelle and Grammy teach your Wednesday night class. It is very special to know that you and Ava are being taught by two women who have taught me so much!

There is no more special relationship for a child to have than the one with their Grandparents. Carli, you are blessed beyond measure to have four grandparents who love you so very much. On top of that, you get to spend lots of time with each of them! This summer, you got to spend at least two days a week with Grammy while she was out of school for the summer. And Pa officially retired this summer, so we are getting to see lots more of Pa too when we go to Momma's office in Alto! Naggy and Pappy came to visit a lot and we even made a couple of trip out to Amarillo. No words can be said for the number of blessed memories you are making with your Grandparents. I pray that you never take them for granted. That you always hold them dear to your little heart. That you love them, respect them and pray for them. Not every little girl is so lucky to have such amazing Grandparents. And certainly not every little girl is so lucky to have four Grandparents who are so actively involved in their lives. God has given you an awesome gift, I pray that you treasure them with all your heart!

Grandma has always held a special place in your life from the day you were born. You, Grandma and Pawpaw made quite the trio! It has been two years yesterday since Pawpaw went to heaven. Grandma has started staying more with Aunt Carolyn and Aunt Betty so we aren't getting to see her every single week like we had been. We were spoiled! So when I asked you who you wanted to come to your birthday party, you immediately told me that Grandma needed to come. That Grandma couldn't come to one of your parties b/c she was taking Pawpaw to heaven, but Pawpaw was okay now and Grandma needed to come to your party. So, with the help of Uncle Tone, Aunt Betty, Uncle Cleaon, Pa and Grammy and lots of driving by all - Grandma was at your party. You were so proud that she was there. You kept going over to make sure she saw what present you had opened and to talk to her. What a special relationship you two have!

Aunt Chelle is the first to point out that you must have received a strong dose of the recessive pink gene. When we found out we were having a girl, I was determined that your nursery would not be pink and I did my best not to have a ton of pink clothes, etc. If we looked into your closet today, it is pretty much all pink. Your LOVE pink. You picked out a bicycle helmet that was so bright pink, even Logan tried to talk you into getting something a little more subdued! We have eaten pink pancakes, you love pink ice cream and every day you try your best to wear your pink crocs. Your Momma on the other hand could do without pink. :)

We have talked about taking you to get your hair trimmed as it has gotten quite long and has never been cut. When we asked you about getting it cut, you quickly informed us that princesses must have long hair and you could not have your hair cut. That ended that discussion.

Carli, with each new year you have taught your Daddy and I more about patience, love, honesty, and forgiveness. With each new challenge we all face together (having to wear tennis shoes and not crocs to school *gasp*), we face it together and we have survived! My prayer for you is that when you look at us you see the light of God reflected in our lives and actions. We may not always have the right answers or respond in the right way because we are not perfect - if we would have figured out how in the world to get you to eat all your veggies, to take naps when asked and maybe not whine so much, we would be the perfect parent! :) Just kidding. We love you just the way you are and we are so very proud to call you ours.

I pray the next year goes by a little slower, to give us a little more time to soak up more of our four year old princess before she decides to turn five on us! Give me a little more time to hold you when you are upset, to cuddle with you when the monsters are hiding in your room and to make cookie dough just to eat. I love you sweet princess Carli! Happy 4th Birthday!

With lots of love,

Momma

Just a short list of what you have accomplished in the coarse of a year: