Four going on Fourteen.

Our little Miss Emma turned FOUR on January 11th. Wow.

She has been looking forward to this day for a LONG time. Somehow turning another year older is of the utmost importance to children. Emma is no different.

She told me at least 3,000 times that day that she was now 4 years old. After one of those instances, she followed up with, "and soon I'll be 14".

Therein lies most of our problems with little missy. :)

In the Krebs family we get colored pancakes on our birthdays. Usually my Mom made us green pancakes, but Emma was not super excited about green pancakes. Instead, she chose to eat purple pancakes for her birthday. No problem. If you can not read my super awesome pancakes, they are a "4" and an "E".

As fate would have it... her preschool was going on a field trip on the morning of her birthday party. We went to Jambo! - which is an indoor amusement park. Emma was really excited to be able to see all of her friends on her birthday. She was also excited that all of the other kids had to wear their red Happy Apple t-shirts and she got to wear her Birthday Girl shirt.

She and her BFF Whitney had a wonderful time on all the rides!




I even let her get a Slurpee BEFORE lunch. Crazy, I know.

Little brother came along as well... perfectly content to hang out in the stroller and watch all the fun happen around him. Someday little buddy, it will be your turn to have all the fun!


We opened a few presents under our birthday tree that evening, she mostly got games from family and my Mom got her a lego set. Her big present was the princess bike and helmet. She has not stopped riding it since she received it. She rides it around the house and at least once a day she requests that we ride around the neighborhood. Score 1 for Mom and Dad.

Because she was having a party later that week, I didn't want to make an entire cake for just the 4 of us to eat. So we went to a specialty cupcake store and I let her pick out 2 cupcakes that looked best to her. YUM!!

When I asked her what she wanted to do in the evening, she said that she wanted to watch a movie while cuddle on the couch with Mom and Dad. That we can do!! We watched "Rio" together.

I know it kinda looks like Emma is using her balloons as two female body parts... :)... but I assure you that she just happened to be holding them that way. She is FOUR afterall, not quite 14.

The BIG celebration was the following Saturday, January 14th. We decided to have an outdoor "carnival like" birthday party in Aunt Sharron's backyard.

I hired a professional face painter named Kristy from glitterbrush.com who was AMAZING. The kids had SO much fun getting their faces painted! So worth the extra money.

Emma plotted for a picture of Ariel all week long - and the trend was quite popular as 5 of the little girls all ended up with other pictures of Ariel on their cheek.







We also did a fishing pond where the kids got to "fish" for toys. Laura and Tom were the awesome help on this one.

Here is our "fish" that delivered the candy.

Linda and Mike were helpers with the cookie decorating table which was also fun. What kid doesn't like decorating cookies with an excessive amount of frosting and sprinkles?? This kid for sure!

Our special visitor from the longest distance was Aunt Ashlee who happened to be in town helping her twin sister Amber care for her new twin boys Jonah and Luke. It was so fun having her with us!! Although Emma was SORELY disappointed that Ben and Ty and William couldn't also come and join in the fun.

Of course Sharron's backyard is also just a super fun place for the kids to jump on the tramp and climb on the fort, which they did plenty of.


Who let the hired help eat pizza?

Geez. I'll have to dock their pay for sure.



Emma and her loot of presents. As soon as the party started Emma started asking when it was time to open presents. She received so many thoughtful and amazing home made gifts.

She has been eying this cake at Costco since she was 2 - so she was pretty pleased when we could order it for her birthday!



We had such a great time at the party with all our friends and family!!

Here she is cuddling with Laura and Tom as a post-party snuggle.

She shares a birthday with a darling 16-year-old Jasey from our old ward - who kindly sent this ballerina for Emma's birthday. She has not let it leave her side.


And here she is out and about on her bike. She is really proud of herself and she is getting pretty competent. She loves to go with Greg while he rides his bike as well.


Emma's Favorites at 4-years-old:

• What are some things you like to do? "Playing with my Mom and Dad and baby brother Grant. That's only it."
  
• What is your favorite toy? "Playing with games and my friends."
• What things do you like to do around the house? "Play with my Mommy."
  
• What are some of your favorite foods? "Pizza, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese, fruit snacks, graham crackers, cheese and crackers".
• What do you like to wear? "Dresses and clothes and night time things".
  
• What’s your favorite color? "Purple and pink".
  
• Where are some of your favorite places to go?"I like going to the park with my friends and going places with my Mommy and Daddy and Grant".
  
• What things make you happy? "That my Daddy tickles me. That's it."
  
• What makes you sad? "If someone hits me then that means I'm sad. Like when my friend from preschool hits me that makes me sad."
  
• Who are your best friends? "Whitney, Grant, Bella, Mommy and Daddy"
  
• What are your favorite movies? "Princess movies"
  
• or TV shows? "Strawberry Shortcake"
  
• What are your favorite books? "Princess Books"
• What is your favorite part of being 4-years-old? "Playing with my Mommy and Daddy and Grant".

Dearest Emma,

Well my dear, you have been dreaming of this day for awhile. You act like you are 14, but you are just stuck in a 4-year-old body. You are such a delight to have around. I thoroughly enjoying being with you and having you as my buddy. You are certainly strong willed (just like me) and that means that occasionally we bump heads on issues. But, I am happy to say that as soon as you started preschool, some of your more difficult behaviors subsided. I'm not sure if it was school or just a developmental milestone, but your sharing and manners and outbursts all improved. You LOVE preschool. You ask every day if it is time for preschool and you are thrilled when I say it is Tuesday or Thursday. You are also very involved in playing with friends. You go into your own little world and can play for HOURS with a little play mate by your side. While taking Whitney home last week you got very somber and said that you were so sad that she had to go home. I remember feeling the very same way when I was a little girl. Friends are so fun. You are very bright and very inquisitive. You are constantly asking me about things and always want to know what words mean. I am teaching you how to read right now and you are picking up on things quickly. I enjoy that special time with just the two of us. You are still a Daddy's girl through and through. You are always choose him over me and that is just fine. He loves you too! You are so sweet to your little brother and I (hardly) ever have to worry about your pestering him or making him sad. You are good about sharing or finding him another toy. He really idolizes you, so I hope that you always set a good example. I love you very much and feel so grateful to have you as my daughter. I wish I could keep you this young forever, but I know you will grow and develop into a beautiful young woman. Please always choose the right and stay close to Heavenly Father.

I Love You,

Mom