Rawrrrr Rayna is FOUR!

Happy Birthday to my beautiful big FOUR year old! You are such a joy and always radiate so much happiness. Your personality is bigger than life and you constantly keep me laughing and smiling with your silly shenanigans, endless talking, and your constant craziness. You are very dramatic, sarcastic, witty, and quick to respond with a sassy answer. You love your family, friends, and Jesus very much and still give the best tightest hugs! I love how you have a kind heart, copy everything your big sister does, want cereal for every single meal, and tell me, “I love you most and more.” I just want to bottle you up and keep you little forever (but you always remind me that you have to get big).

You are such a smart little girl. Currently, you can count to 20, know how to spell your name, learning how to write your name, recite bible verses and stories, know everything about princesses and dinosaurs, and always curious about everything around you. Your favorites at this age include princesses, my little ponies, riding your bike, play dough, coloring, painting your nails, the color pink or rainbow, accessories, and your new absolute favorite is dinosaurs! Your love for them came from watching The Land Before Time and now your knowledge of dinosaurs has grown immensely as well as your collection of them. Everyday you ask if we can watch that movie or Jurassic Park and always say, “Mommy, I don’t want my eyes covered. I’m not scared like Rylee!” I absolutely love that you are my girly girl who still likes to dress up and is terrified of bugs but at the same time loves all things dinosaurs.

This year you started preschool and absolutely love it! I was not worried at all sending you off to school this past year because you were more than ready to go. You have always been a little sponge and a quick learner. Your teachers tell me everyday at pickup that you are doing exceptionally well. You have also made your first little friends in your class that you are so excited to invite to your birthday party. I love picking you up and getting greeted with the biggest smile and hug. We hold hands and skip to the car while I listen to your stories of what you learned, new songs you sang, what snack you had, and what you did with your little friends during school then you beg me for Chick-Fil-A because you are such a good girl. You still attend The Little Gym once a week and love it so much. You are the classroom entertainment from the moment you step foot in the gym until you leave. You are always keeping a close eye on me while I watch you tumble, twirl, and show off in your princess leotards. My favorite is when you give me a big smile and a thumbs up to let me know you are doing good.

I cannot believe another year has come and gone but what a fun year it has been watching you grow. I look forward to this upcoming year of firsts, milestones, new experiences, and memories to make. I hope that you will always keep your special spunk and spark that makes you who you are because there is only one of you and that is the fun of you (T. Swift quote from your current favorite song)! I love you most and more forever and ever!


Woke the birthday girl up singing and she was ready to start her day! Birthday elf on the shelf, donuts for breakfast, presents, and a trip to the mall to ride the carousel, eat at Rainforest Cafe, and build a bear (named her bear Tiara)! We ended the day at the pool having some fun in the sun (first swim of the year)! Then after dinner celebrated our birthday girl one more time with a unicorn birthday cake. In her words, "Today was the best day ever!" :)

This was the first year Rayna chose her birthday party theme, place, and friends to invite. She insisted on a dinosaur party for girls so we went with pink and dinosaurs. She chose to have it at Monkey Joes and she chose every friend on her guest list. Such a big girl! I will say I had to brainstorm and pinterest ideas for this party theme but overall I think it turned out sooo cute and might be one of my favorite party themes. So very fitting for my dinosaur loving girly girl! She had the very best time and said her birthday party was, "awesome!" :)