Four is a lot of years.

Eleanor had a BIRTHDAY. She turned FOUR. My feelings about this are many and complex (how is she so big and where is all her baby fat but look at her get herself dressed and yesterday she read me a book), but her birthday DAY was unadulterated fun.

'When did you put these balloons in my room?'

I dunno, who says I put them in here. When did you get so smart, also.

Open them presents, girl.

'MY VERY OWN PIANO.'

20 minutes of *prnk prnk prnk*

Another ten minutes of dancing.

Ok cool more presents. These ones have RIBBONS and need SNIPPERS.

It's Princess Sophia!

Get off the piano, Geneva, it is not for foots.

An enormous collection of paints! And paint brushes! And painting sponges, which I will later let her take into what she calls a 'sponge bath'!

Unicorn slippers, thing of blocks. Cool cool cool.

Did I mention the birthday tree?

Super good morning. Everybody stickering with new stickers.

Everybody painting new painty things.

Everybody baking a cake! Good thing we had extra eggs.

This enormous bag is an excellent balloon transportation system.

The birthday girl requested camembert and grapes and 'tater totters' for her birthday lunch, and a chocolate cake with sprinkles.

Get that cake, girl.

EAT THE HELL OUT OF THAT CAKE.

And then the little persons went to bed and Joel and I ate things on toasts, because New Years Eve and also because our human person is four, and is turning out pretty alright.