Elsa at 4

Today, Elsa turns four.

To get myself inspired, I just went back and re-read last year’s post on Elsa’s birthday.  It had some interesting foreshadowing. But one really nice thing is that the Elsa fundamentals haven’t changed:

Elsa still has a big BIG personality, with very strong opinions, and is intense about just about everything.

She can be a bull in a china shop, yet is a very sensitive little person.

She still sings in the morning.

She still cracks me up.

She is generous with other people.  She is the ultimate extrovert.

But in the last year, she has gotten more complex as a person, which is so lovely to see.

She’s a big fan of superlatives, especially those she invents herself.  Things are the mostest, the bester, the goodest, and if something is extra good, it’s a hundred million thousand good.

She spontaneously tells me she loves me.  She loves school.  She loves to draw. She kisses and hugs with great enthusiasm.

She is about as princess-y as humanly possible.  She loves dress-ups, sparkles, fairies, unicorns, tiaras, Barbies, and all the associated detritus.  But she’s also rough-and-tumble and will happily tackle anyone who wants to wrestle.

If there was such a thing a Toddler Princess Football team, she would totally sign up.

When asked her favorite color, she will reply “rainbow“.  (Actually, until very recently, she said “rainboat“, but she’s now figured out the pronunciation.  Which bums me out a little – I liked “rainboat” very much.)   But I am struck more by the substance of her answer : why pick one color, when you can pick them all?  That’s Elsa in a nutshell.

She is doing terrifically well on her medication.  She is also loving OT and I can see that it’s going to be hugely helpful for her.  There is a lot of work ahead of us, but I can tell she is going to soak up all this stuff like the smartie sponge that she is.

I’m so excited about her new school (starts Sept 6th!) and her wonderful new teachers, who are already engaged with the rest of her “team” to make sure that she has the best possible experience.

I think Elsa as a four-year-old is going to be truly something to behold.