I can't believe I have a four year old! Francie is really at a great age to watch her learning new things every day and becoming a big kid. She is harder and harder to reason with- probably because she can plead a pretty good case! She has times when she breaks down crying and reminds us she is still a little girl- but most of the time we hear "well Dad, actually I would PREFER if I was allowed to stay up past my bedtime because... insert excuse 1, 2 and 3." and still my favorite part about her personality is she just does things without help (albeit without asking too :) and then I can't even get mad at her when she looks at me and says "where there is a will there is a way mom." That's my girl France!

She lays her clothes out every night- even if it is usually an outfit like this that includes a tutu, a 24-month Ariel shirt, party shoes and a headband. And I love the tights AND socks with her Princess nightgown when we are still having 80 degree Indian Summer weather. Get ready for 14 more years fighting your dad to turn the heat up France!

She loves going to school and sometimes gets to carpool- here she is waiting with her booster seat for her "bus" (she wishes and wishes a yellow school bus will come around the corner!) and this was the only day on record she didn't pick a party dress to wear to school

Francie and Maisie aren't very often seen without each other- except the six hours a week Francie is at preschool. She is a good big sister to Maisie when she needs to "teach her things" but enjoys having a buddy right there with her to play most of the time.

They certainly have their moments of sisterly rivalry but overall they are pretty good to each other!

She even made this card for Maisie yesterday that said "Love sister Maisie. From Francie. Mermaid." Not sure exactly how to decipher but I picked up she loves her sister enough to write the word mermaid on her card. true love.

Her love for all things Mermaid has not diminished- If I let her she would wear one of 2 Ariel princess dress-up costumes every day and night. She sings songs about Rapunzel and the tower and Ariel and the Sea, King Triton, The step-mother, Aurora, Flounder and Prince Eric - usually all wrapped into one mesh of a fairytale. She is pretty good at making up songs that actually follow a tune and they are always entertaining!

She also still oddly loves "moles" and chewing on her dress/shirt when she is tired or nervous- hopefully both of these go away before she goes to college ;)

Francie is a Magnatile master- she builds all kinds of cool structures at home and at Bumble. She loves putting things together(and saying things like "I am ALL OVER THIS cookie" or "I am really into these pens right now"

She is also "really into" wood-working lately. Dad suggested a few projects and gave her a work area and a hammer and there is no turning back! She makes creations almost every day with nails and clamps and stings and wood. Most get decorated with marker too. We have a sign that says "Francie's" hanging on our gate if you come over (with a cat face in the A and everything :) and a new stop sign she made tonight that has a spinning "STOP" on a nail.