Lyla Turns FOUR

Personality: Lyla was hard for me for a while. She was my first screamer, and she always let you know when she wasn't happy. In this last year, her screaming fits have definitely lessened (though, when she has them, it is still hard to get her to calm down, and her toes always hurt afterwards... so weird. I've tried to find a correlation but Google hasn't given me anything). Though she is fierce and passionate and stubborn, she is also sweet and easy-going and carefree. She plays on her own so well... for sure, the best out of all of my kids. She also loves to play with her sisters though. She loves baby dolls and plays so sweetly with them. She thinks so differently from me, and I love learning from her. She isn't afraid to be herself and to do her own thing and to live wild. I just love her :)

For Her Birthday:  Lyla is so laid back, and I am thankful! Her birthday falls on VBS week, which makes it hard, especially because this year she was in VBS and I helped. She mentioned a month ago about wanting to go to the zoo on her birthday. I wasn't sure if I would have it in me to go, but after VBS today, I decided that WE WERE GOING!! It was so fun to live spontaneously because that's who Lyla is :) We made it all the way through Africa on World Giraffe Day, and then we saw the sea lions when it started sprinkling. We decided to keep going, but it wasn't long before the rains started coming! When we made it out of the zoo, it was pouring, but Lyla asked for a picture on the ZOO sign as we usually do. I said, " What the heck, it's your birthday" and took a picture of her on the zoo sign for her birthday while it poured all over us. So fun :)

Since I knew I wasn't even going to attempt a birthday cake this year (I always try and always fail at making pretty cakes, and it always frustrates me, and I knew I didn't have it in me this week to frustrate myself)... so we picked up donuts the night before her birthday and used them as our cake :) Laid-back Lyla was completely okay with that!

The only thing she asked for for her birthday was a bow and arrow like her sisters... she was excited to get one :) She genuinely is so happy about getting any gift, though. I love her joy and gratefulness!

Things She has Said:
- Me: "Come here, kid." Lyla: "I not kid. I honey!"
- (While holding her baby dolls): "This one is Violet. And this is Kid." (She named her baby doll Kid for at least a solid 6 months.)
"- I can't be quiet 'cause my mouth's not quiet."
- (After bringing me a pair of underwear): "This one isn't stinky. The other underwear was stinky, but this one wasn't, so I brought this one."
- "When I die and go to heaven, I can have candy all the time."
- Lyla: "Sophie, guess what? Chicken butt!" Me: "Where did you learn that?" Lyla: "No, I didn't learn it, I just knew it!"
- "Mommy, you my best favorite!"
- Sophie (after getting scratched by cat): "Ow, cat! I wish I could kill you sometimes!" Lyla: "Yeah, I wish I could die it!"
- "I will think about it in my head if I want to go into the store."
- (Talking about a baby doll): "Him was being really bad today, so I gave him a spanking... with my camera!" 
- Sophie: "You're like Grandpa." Lyla: "Not uh! I like everybody!"
- Brielle: "Fine, then I'm never ever going to play with you again." Lyla: "I don't care. I will play with Violet... a lot!"

Likes: baby dolls, blocks and magnatiles, blanket, her sisters (she and Brielle especially play well together), Mommy, her cousin Layla
Dislikes: when her sisters won't play with her, having something taken from her, broccoli and quite a few other foods (she's our pickiest eater, though still not an awful eater)

Lyla's Interview
What's your favorite food? Popsicle
What's your favorite thing to play with? Basketball
What's your favorite movie or show? Elsa and Anna
What's your favorite song? The Nutcracker
What's your favorite book? The oink, oink, oink one. No, I know what it is. I'll go get it so I can show it to you (runs and grabs it)... (Comes back with a random chapter book that we've never read. She's such a silly random little girl :) ).
What's your favorite color? Pink
What's your favorite Bible story? When Jesus was up in heaven
What do you like to do with Sophie? Play house
What do you like to do with Brielle? Play house
What do you like to do with Violet? Play jinglewindawindawin. I'll show you how (begins to dance really crazily and sing loudly... who is this kid?!)
What do you want to do when you get older? Climb a tree (love her!)
What's your favorite animal? An oink oink oink oink oink
Who are your best friends? Layla
What makes you happy? When I play jinglewindawindawin with Violet.
What makes you sad? When nobody's playing with me and when people be mad to me and hurtin me and maybe me bleed.
What are you really good at? Reading books (she can't actually read yet) and playing with sand.

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