I have fallen several months behind on blogging for a number of reasons, and over the next month or so I hope to get caught up. Before going back to June, picking up from our summer vacation in Georgia and Greece, family visits, and other things, I wanted to first catch up on a special little girl. Today’s blog is about Eliza Rose turning 4! This girl brings so much sweetness to our family and everyone who knows her. She is a girly girl, but can hang with the big boys. She loves all things pink, baby dolls, baby animals, especially kittens and puppies, unicorns, playing outside, being with her brothers, singing and dancing, making people laugh, and the list goes on.
Eliza is a great eater and will try just about anything. She eats all kinds of Turkish foods between Kadem’s cooking and her school food. She likes fresh fruits and veggies and she has quite the sweet tooth too. Eliza recently in the past few months moved to a twin bed, but she would have kept her crib for longer if we would have let her. She loves her sleep and will still nap on weekends and especially enjoys naps with daddy. She is wearing size 4/5 cloths, size 10/11 shoes, is around 44 inches tall and 38 lbs. Eliza has adapted very well to school, and everyday she is excited to see her friends and learn new things. Eliza is carefree and full of life, and we love her so much!
The night before her birthday, the boys helped us decorate after she went to bed, and she was so excited to see the kitchen decorated for her the next morning.
Starting the morning with pink birthday donuts.
At school, Eliza got to celebrate with her class. They don’t let parents in the school, but we were able to send in cupcakes and they sent us photos of the celebration. Did I mention she still loves Paw Patrol and her favorite pup is Skye.
Of course you need simit, a traditional Turkish sesame bagel (on the left), served with most meals!
Celebrating with friends in class.
That evening, we invited Kadem and her husband for dinner and cake. Eliza wanted macaroni and cheese with hot dogs and green beans, and this year she wanted an LOL cake,
We are lucky to have a nice bakery very close by to make us cakes, for about the equivalent of $30.
Eliza was a bit apprehensive about the firework candle, and asked if the cake could be at the end of the table.
Mid way she thought it was funny.
Make a wish sweet girl.
I promise Benjamin is not trying to strangle her in this picture!
Next we opened gifts. She got a new backpack and swimming towel from Kadem and baba (what Eliza calls Mustafa). And their daughter Ebru gave her the cute strawberry dress she is wearing. Ebru recently got a job at a bank and was not able to join us that evening. They are such a sweet family and they love the kids like their own.
Next Eliza opened gifts from us. The kids love celebrating each other and it’s fun to watch their excitement for one another on their birthdays. She has a special and unique bond with each of her brothers and we love watching them grow in their relationships.
Caleb is such a sweet and tolerant big brother, and he and Eliza have a very special bond. They both share the love of TV and many days I’ll find Caleb watching Barbie or Paw Patrol cartoons with her. Caleb helps Eliza a lot, from helping her get dressed, brush her teeth, and other things around the house, and she enjoys when he reads Dr. Seuss books her books and teaches her jokes. He is attentive to her and they have a very sweet bond. He got Eliza a Barbie doll as a gift and she loved it.
Benjamin is also a great big brother to Eliza and they have a lot of fun playing together. On any day, you can find them having a dance party in the living room, and she is attentively watching Benjamin and trying to follow his every dance move. They both love singing and he teaches her new songs. From playing hide-and-seek, to showing her about Pokemon, she adores spending time with Benjamin. He got Eliza a LOL doll as a gift and she loved it.
Eliza also received some new cute outfits and a unicorn bed spread from grandparents, both featured in this photo. She loves her bedspread and every night says how comfy her bed is:)
We had a great day celebrating Eliza turning 4 and are so thankful for this precious girl. Since turning 4, just about every day you can find her telling a complete stranger or reminding us that she is 4 and a big girl. Eliza Rose, we love you so much and are excited about what this next year has in store for you. Happy 4th birthday, little lady!
