Four

Tomorrow our Anna turns four. Tonight she did everything for the last time as a three-year-old: brushed her teeth, prayed, sang, went to sleep. There is much ceremony in all of this.

It strikes me that this scenario tonight defines her pretty well: she knows what's going on around her, it (usually) interests her, and she wants to be part of it.

We often realize that we think she's older than three/four. In fact, in my mind she is Jonathan's twin and both are his age rather than hers. This usually works pretty well, but sometimes we have to just remind ourselves that she's only three (now four)!

This year has brought the new challenge of losing her (twin!) playmate. This is how she feels about it some of the time...

But in general, Anna at four is a winsome, active, smart-as-a-whip, observant, clever (she gets wit), thoughtful, and loving person. And polite. This morning Ramont told her "thank you" for feeding the cats as she skipped out of the barn. A few seconds later she was back: "You're welcome. Today I'm trying to be polite!"

She will be a good runner and ball-thrower.

And while she is quite active, she is also contemplative.

Anna loves dolls, babies ("I can't wait till I'm a teenager so I can have a baby!"), pets, and people.

(They all have names and, evidently, personalities.)

Anna loves to draw, color, write letters, and make cards for people. Grandma Schrock is definitely her favorite correspondent. Along with that, Anna does have a special bond with both her grandmothers.

 Off to mail that card.

She is also very helpful, often wanting to help with my work or work on something.
 

We used to think a lot about sleep (or lack thereof) in relation to Anna. That has thankfully worked itself out, and she now sleeps a long, full night every night (no naps). She is so very clearly a morning person that it's almost comical. She will be our cow milker eventually!

One final thing of note here is that Anna still refuses to speak in Low German, saying that she can't (she can). We always speak it to her, and she always speaks (mostly) English back. And yet at some level she considers LG normative; the other day she wanted me to read her book "the normal way," which was in German.

But whatever I write here can only begin to describe this little bundle of a person. She is a joy and much, much loved.