Pinka

Hopefully you enjoyed the last video of Ayla - did you know she's 4? WE HAVE A 4 YEAR OLD - what is going on?! Haha. Ruth and I attended a wedding this last weekend. The wedding was of a girl Rachel, who was one of our "youth group kids" as Ruth and I refer to them now even years later. She married Josh in a nice outdoor wedding. This reference relates to the statement "we have a 4 year old" by the fact that Rachel was in Ruth and my wedding almost 10 years ago now - whoa.

But really, we're not actually overwhelmed by the thought of having a 4 year old. Having the 4 year old - yes that can be overwhelming sometimes. But thinking about the fact we've been married nearly 10 years and have not only a 4 year old but also a little bucket head 1 year old - we feel very blessed. By the way the littlest boy is doing fine but most of this post will be about his big sister.

So, some happenings of Ayla as of late.

First, she's already talking about being 5. Hold on little lady! Ayla - who has leaned towards the cautious side all her life has become quite the jumper (off everything - couches, beds, slides, into pools (while in Texas). We're pretty sure she picked up the desire after spending a week with her cousin Ally in Texas! The whole family went - the kids first plane ride - and we had a really nice week hanging with my brother and his family. They have an in ground pool out back. It took Ayla a little bit to warm up to swimming again (considering she lives in a state where it can be 40 degrees in June) but by the end of the week she was having a great time.

After we got back from Texas it was her birthday a few days later. We had a nice little party with the grandparents and Aunt Sarah. She received some nice gifts (thanks everyone for those and cards!) and she's been enjoying one of her birthday presents from us- a hanging/rings bar for her swing set. Needless to say like all children - she loves being outside.

The other day while she was playing on the swing set I began hitting a tennis ball around the yard with a little stick. Soon she wanted to try. I wasn't sure how this was going to go - I mean, I can barely hit the ball sometimes! But after we got her "stance" worked out (she bats left) and her hands positioned correctly (left on top, right directly below) she was swinging away - and hitting the ball. I didn't know Ruth (and Zeke) were watching from the window but later on Ruth was like "she was actually hitting it!".

Anyway, it was just fun. Ayla really is a neat and sweet (and sometimes ready to argue till you're blue in the face) kid. She's all things pink, polly pocket, clothes but will then be a jumping, baseball playing, digging in the dirt girl. So maybe not always neat, but neat...

Let's see - well, she hasn't been drawing as much lately but she'll still draw up something here and there - like tonight when I got home from work she was standing at dinner table drawing while Ruth made dinner. What struck me most was she was STANDING and drawing at the table - she's so tall!

After dinner we enjoyed a usual game or two of candyland - it's so cool to play a game like that with her now. When I was putting her to bed, after we read a couple of books we talked about reading for little bit. Then she told me that tomorrow night she would read herself and put herself to bed. I said why not put yourself to bed tonight and she replied that she wanted to snuggle because I was her best friend. I know it's unlikely but hopefully I will always be - on some level.

Oh, and I wouldn't be forgiven if I didn't inform you that her real name is Pinka Ayla Germann. To which Zeke is Ice Cream Boy, Ruth is Tulip Girl and I am Baldy. No idea....