The joys of mothering Braxtyn...

Oh my. Where to begin, my deepest desire to have a sweet little girl. To dress her up and do her hair and wash the marker of the wall, and wash the candle wax out of her hair and the bag balm and the gum, and ok, so I wasn't counting on all that went along with my little girl. She is precious and she is full of IT. IT can only be that Daniel and I wonder how such a big personality resides in such a compact little body. She just screams of confidence and determination, her walk, her talk and her stance all spell out who is in control. I admire her, I adore her, I can't wait to see her as a woman with a purpose. A little girl with a purpose, well it makes some days pretty challenging but the day always ends in laughter. I just spent some precious one on one time with her on the couch giggling about her birthday coming up this week. She will be 4 on the 21st, she is quite aware that this is a big deal and the entire family must prepare. We have now planned her birthday day activities with our immediate family. The meal, the colors, the outfits, the cake flavor... we take birthdays very seriously at our house. And then we planned the Under The Sea swim party at uncle Josh and Aunt Brittany's house the following weekend. It has a mermaid theme with lots of family and swimming. I ask her what she really wanted for her birthday and she got this silly laughter and told me long pink hair, a long nose, big teeth and big feet. She couldn't stop laughing and well, neither could I. When we got serious about it, I realized she has no idea, just a bunch of girl stuff.
Last week my favorite conversation went like this:

Braxtyn: Mom, I changed my name.
Me: What is your name today Braxtyn?
Braxtyn: Chamber, she is a very smart girl who loves peanut butter and jelly and doesn't like mustard.
Me: Where did you come up with the name Chamber?
Braxtyn: I don't know, I just like it.

This week my favorite mistaken conversation went like this.
Doni: Tori is making me crazy, getting into stuff.
Brooke: Well I can finally say that at 4 years old, Braxtyn is finally past it. I don't panic every time I can't find her.
Doni: Oh great, only two more years of this!
Later that very night, at family night, we are all watching the kids dance in the living room and I don't see Braxtyn...Aunt Becky spies her dripping wet covered in sticky makeup. Oh no...the girls had been doing approved makeovers with Karsyn's makeup...well Braxtyn had decided to wash up.
Famous last words...eaten.. as I enter Aunt Becky's powder room to find the floor covered in water, the sink blocked up with toilet paper, her good towel covered in red lipstick and the toilet seat stained with glitter. And as Doni walks into see the mess, we look at each other and crack up in resignation.