On Sunday, Liv turned FOUR!

A year ago, I asked Liv the following questions, and here’s what our big four year old had to say this year!

• What is your name? – “L-I-V Luhwee”  (*She writes her name on her own now!)
• Do you have any nicknames? – “Daddy calls me Weasel.  You call me Shayna Punim.  My friends call me Fart Queen.”
• How old are you? – “FOUR!”
• What do you want to be when you grow up? – “I wanna be a sorcerer” (like Cedric from Sophia the First) “or a cleaner” (as in, a house cleaner!)
• What is your favorite thing to do? – “Play with Duplos and my baby that drinks and tinkles.”
• What do you like to do with your family? – “Play the headband game.”  (Hedbanz)
  
• Who are your best friends? – “Shay and Bella.”
• What makes you happy? – “Rough housing with daddy.”
• What makes you sad? – “When I slam the door.”
• What do you do really well? – “Putting my shirt and pants on and skirt.”  (She dresses herself now and there’s rarely room for negotiation!)
• Where do you like to go? – “The march.” (She walked in the Women’s March last month)
• Where do you want to go on vacation? – “To visit Nonny at her house.”
• What do you like to do outside? – “One time we played Hungry Hippos outside.”
• What is your favorite color? – “The whole rainbow!”
• What is your favorite animal? – “Giraffe and a rhino.”
• What is your favorite TV show/movie? – “Paw Patrol and PJ Masks.”
• What is your favorite food? – “Potato chips in my peanut butter jelly sandwich.”
• What is your favorite book? – “The Snowman one that I’m really good at reading.”
• What is your favorite game? – “Sorry.”
• What is your favorite song? – “Waka waka, hey hey! It’s time for Africa!”  (Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) by Shakira)
• What are you grateful for? – “I love my baby brother coming out in March.”
  
• What is your birthday wish? – “For my birthday, I want lots of balloons, and friends, and cupcakes with vanilla and strawberry and chocolate!”

Cupcakes have become Liv’s birthday tradition and since Liv’s all about being a “big girl helper,” we had a vanilla-strawberry-chocolate cupcake decorating party with all of her favorite toppings.

At eight months pregnant, I was overwhelmed at the thought of putting together a big birthday party, but also couldn’t wait to celebrate Liv.  So when Jared’s parents flew in from Chicago a few days ago, we kicked off Liv’s birthday weekend with an enormous messy sundae and her first birthday wish!

After Liv went to bed on Saturday, we decorated the house with streamers and balloons, and Liv woke up ready to party!  We started the day with presents, followed by birthday oatmeal with sprinkles and her second candle of the weekend!

Liv loves to make believe and role play, so her favorite toys of the moment are Lego Duplos, Barbies, and baby dolls.  We absolutely could not pull her away from her new toys.

The birthday girl played all day, crashed for a sudden — and necessary! — couch nap, before getting dressed up in her fanciest outfit for a “Fancy Nancy Dinner Party.”  Nonny and Poppy killed it with their attire!  Though no one could outshine Liv…

 

Dressing up and going out to dinner is special for Liv, but we also invited three of her best friends from our “neighborhood family,” which pushed it over the top for her.  She was absolutely bursting with joy!

We had pizza and salad for dinner, where Liv blew out her third candle over another messy sundae, piled ultra high with whipped cream.

As we were divvying up the sundae, our favorite server popped out with a mountain of cotton candy!  Liv’s an exceptionally joyful child, who’s excited every day, but this was an over-the-top moment we’ll remember forever.

My heart was so happy the dinner party was a hit, as Liv’s friend exclaimed: “This is the best party ever!”  Most importantly, our birthday girl was glowing with gratitude and happiness (and a sugar high, I’m sure…).  As for daddy, he might be 33, but some kids never grow up!

Back home, we capped off the day by singing to Liv one more time, as she blew out her fourth birthday candle (and later told me she’d wished for more cotton candy, haha… oh boy).

And here we are.  Our first baby is four — “old enough to babysit and start driving,” she says!  She’s definitely old enough to amaze us, challenge us, and make our hearts explode on a daily basis…

Most nights, we go around the dinner table sharing our “Big Three.”  #1) We share a highlight from the day, #2) something we’re grateful for, and #3) what we’re looking forward to.  It’s always fun to hear Liv’s favorite part of the day and what she’s looking forward to, but her abundance of gratitude is what melts my heart the most.

95% of the time she’s grateful “mommy and daddy love me,” or “my baby brother’s coming in March,” but this weekend, as she hugged me goodnight, and kissed my belly, she whispered: “I’m grateful we are family, mama.”

Sweet Liv, you bring endless joy to our lives, and we are so excited for another year of adventures and love.  ❤