Emma is 4

Yesterday was Emerald's fourth birthday! She is sweet...and sassy. And this little girl has been through a lot in the past year. She's grown up a lot too.

I was looking back to see what I've posted about her previous birthdays and only found one post from when she turned one! (and a quick little post with one of my favorite pictures of her from when she turned 3...but no party details) Woops! I don't know why I haven't blogged about it...but she's had some fun birthdays in the past and this year's was no exception.

Here is Emma last year around her third birthday. This was taken right after we moved out of our rental house and began our 'homeless' phase. Our house had no staircase, a completely gutted kitchen, and we were just starting to put trim around the doorways. Whoa! But little Emma was a trooper. I love her little chubby baby cheeks in this picture.

And here's my girl this weekend. (the stinker won't look at the camera anymore so I have to take what I can get in pictures) The baby look is pretty much gone. Her hair (if you stretch out her curls) is down to the middle of her back. And her vocabulary is full! (the girl can use more words in a day than I can...by far) She loves anything pink and told me that she doesn't just want to BE a princess...she IS a princess!

We had planned on going to a tea party for her birthday, but a LivingSocial deal came up for a fun water park hotel and kids' suite (with bunk beds). So we took a little trek up North of where we live. The kids had a BLAST!

After spending two days at the water park we drove to my sister-in-law's house to see friends and family and celebrate my girl. Michael even got to play paintball with a bunch of guys (more pics to come of that part of the weekend later).

Since we still don't have a working oven I couldn't make a cake. But we found a princess cake that Emerald refused to leave the store without. So...here was her cake!

 The birthday girl and her daddy. (his birthday is today)

Grandma and Grandpa C gave her some pretty flowers! And Grandma and Grandpa J sent her some hair clips and princess stickers (which she promptly took and stuck every single one inside her birthday card).

 Back at home, she opened more gifts. We were excited to get her a wig (just like Rapunzel in Tangled)...but that quickly turned into a bad idea when she hated having all the hair in her face. That wig is going back to the store and she will be getting the short, pink, curly haired wig from LaLaLoopsy instead.

Her big gift has been sitting in our 3-season porch for several months...since we bought it from a friend in the winter. It took all 3 of the big kids to 'unwrap' it.

And, or course, Emma was super excited about her PINK car! She informed me last night that she is ready to take it on the 'real' road. Ummm...I think not. But it sure was cute to see her drive around the yard, pick up little Henry and make sure he was safe by buckling his seat belt for him. Cute!

 Happy Birthday Emma! You are a joy!