Kelsey is 4

My sweet baby girl is 4. She shared her birthday with Easter on Sunday. Kelsey had a small party with some of her preschool friends last Saturday, and this Saturday we celebrated with our family. What a special day to have the entire Wade clan together!


So, Miss Kelsey at 4 ...

• She is girlie. She loves pink and purple, ruffles and dresses, sparkles and glitter, crowns and wands.


• She is tough. Kelsey doesn't hesitate to fight back when one of her big brothers picks on her.


• Kelsey literally bounces wherever she goes. Rarely does she just walk, but rather skip, jump or run.


• Kelsey loves to do crafts and color. She is just beginning to take more care with her pictures and color within the lines.


• She's eager to begin playing soccer or swimming on the swim team, just like her big brothers.


• Kelsey is taking gymnastics, and she loves it. No surprise, she bounces through the entire lesson.


• She is confident.


• Kelsey takes her "purple gankie" just about everywhere we'll let her take it. And you can tell by its tattered state.


• She is best friends with her big brother, Ryan. They play endless hours together, and she often looks to him for help.


• When Kelsey is being difficult, it's often her big brother Brendan who saves the day. He can reason with and calm her.


• Kelsey loves dogs. So much so, that when I tell her we're going to lunch with Grammy and Papa, she immediately wonders aloud whether their two daschunds will be with them.


• She is in a wonderful preschool class, where she is learning to write Ks, Ms and other letters, to identify patterns, colors and shapes, and recognize opposites. She loves it!


• Picky? No. Sweet tooth? Yes. Kelsey will eat many more foods than either of her brothers, but she is also more likely to eat sweets all day long if we let her. Lunch is typically her biggest meal, as she will eat anything on the table (my plate included).


• She is sweet and lovable! Kelsey loves to snuggle with me and showers me with hugs and kisses.


• You never need a radio in the car with Kelsey. She will sing her original songs without commercial interruptions.

Moving forward

I don't suppose there's any point in trying to catch up. It's been more than a year since I updated this blog. Blame Facebook, hubby being gone for five months, selling the house, buying a house and moving back "home." At least, those are excuses for 2010.

Now it's time to move forward.

In two days, my baby turns 4. I've never had a four year old who didn't come with a baby sibling. We're entering unchartered territory for the Healy family.

I can feel the days getting a little easier as the children grow up. Some days, Brendan needs nudging to get his homework done or brush his teeth, but he'll do it and help his sister along the way. Ryan may have his occasional five-year-old meltdown and refuse my request, but most days he's helpful and happy to anticipate what I need. Kelsey is bubbly and sweet and will fight back if you let her, but she is also eager to dress herself, brush her own teeth, and even help herself to as many fruit snacks as she can find in the pantry.

In short, I no longer have to do everything.

And yet, there is still so much that must be done. Freelance work, laundry, cleaning, playing with the kids, helping with homework, reviewing assignments, paying the bills, doing taxes, shopping, cleaning out drawers and closets, finding a favorite toy or blankie, making snacks for class parties, volunteering at the kids' schools, taking Kelsey to preschool and gymnastics, taking the boys to swim practices, soccer practices and soccer games.

Thankfully, it's this never-ending list that has made jumping into a normal routine in our new city much easier. When we moved to Michigan eight years ago, I had a newborn. There wasn't much in life we had to do except make our well-baby visits at the pediatrician's office, go to the grocery store, and occasionally buy gas.

Now there are few days we have nothing to do. So far, that's OK.