only MY daughter

We were pretty sure right from the get go that Karleigh would one day be the class clown. She is way too quirky and random for it go to waste and I'm sure that I will be signing her up for musical theatre and/or drama very soon. 

Besides that though, she is brilliant. I know I'm her mom so really what else would I say, but its true. She is so grown up for her little tiny age I amazes me still even though I now treat her as such and pretty much expect it, when I stop to think about it or when people (constantly) comment on it I realize that not every 4 year old is this way. All the while reminding me that my little monster of a son (aka most handsome little man on the planet) will very likely NOT be as grown up as Karleigh. 

Ahhh I'll enjoy it while I can.

She has never been hard to discipline, if I ask her to take a time out while she calms down, she says "ok Mom" and goes to her room - returning a few minutes later to tell me that she's ok now. A couple of weeks ago Lane brought a car home for me to test drive, Keegan was napping and Tristan was home so we put KL's booster seat in the car and took her for a quick drive with us. Half way down the street this little voice in the back says "I don't like leaving the house without Keegy". We told her it was ok and that we weren't going for very long. A few minutes later that same voice "I really think we should go back for Keegan". I quickly realized that SHE forgot that Tristan was home and thought that we had left her little brother home all alone. The little mother in her could hardly stand it ...

A while ago now we realized she could read. We started to notice her reading more and more words all the time but were pretty sure that she had a photographic memory (ironic for MY daughter hey?? haha) and so was just simply remembering words that she saw more often than others. One night though, her and I were in a store and I could hear her behind me reading all of the headlines on the magazine rack. When we got home I opened a book for her and she read me the whole thing. Shes 4,  has never gone to daycare and had just a few months of preschool at which I don't think they even worked on reading since it was a class for 3 year olds as well as 4. She can now pick up any book in our house, and I mean ANY book and read it to you. Including the "Birds of North America" reference book that she read at my parents house the other day and now lets me know all the types of birds that we have in our yard as she sees them.

Last night we were so blessed to be able to spend some time with Lanes cousin who lives in Hungary and her adorable little girl Emma. Karleigh remembers when Emma was here a year (or more?) ago and was SO excited to see her last night. It also  helps that she thinks it's so cool that there is a place called "hungry". We were probably out way too late for the girls but they were way too cute together and had so much fun visiting. 

When we got home I told Karleigh to go tell Daddy all about it - so she goes and tells him how great it was and how "awesome" Emma is etc. When I asked her to tell him where Emma is from though she said "I don't know" I told her "yes you do Karleigh, what is the word that we use when we need food?" and do you know what MY daughter said? 

"Famished??"

Seriously ... shes 4, who says that!?

I love her, she is crazy, and she is funny and she is smart and I could not be more proud of her.

Enjoy these few photos of Emma and Karleigh together in the studio!