Dolphins and Orcas and Princesses, oh my!

While we were in Florida, Miral turned 4! We all know I love a list and in honor of her birthday I am going to list ten of the many many things I love about Miral.

She is 100% my child! She loves to pack, organize, try on clothes and shop.
She remembers all the words to songs after hearing it just one time, this she definitely gets from her dad. She loves to sing and is always singing, sometimes songs she’s heard, sometimes songs she makes up. I love walking up to her and hearing her singing to herself about anything and everything.
She loves her brothers and just wants to be with them doing what they are doing. The boys had a sleepoever at Naomi’s and Eli’s and Miral asked when they were coming back every 15 minutes. We had a fun girls night and watched a bunch of princess movies, but she still really missed them and was so excited when they came home.
She LOVES art. She can sit and draw or paint for hours and she is really good! She will find any art project anywhere in the house and insist on completing them immediately. She pays attention to details and her teacher, Mr John, told me he has to convince her to leave the art station.
She looooooves school and her teacher Mr. John. She also knows the name of every single person in her school, the secretary, the lady who brings lunch, every child and every teacher. It’s really very impressive, especially since I retain no names, none at all. So when we meet again don’t be upset when I have no clue what your name is. Just tell Miral your name and we’ll be good.
Miral at four is one of the strongest and most opinionated individuals I have ever met. She has strong opinions and is not afraid to stand by them. In a perfect world, this trait will never leave because I think she is destined to run a small country.
She loves all things girly and pink. She gets exited when she gets new dresses and loves all things princessy. I love boys clothes but after so many years of t-shirts and shorts it is pretty amazing to have someone in the house who loves dressing up and wearing pretty things!
Because she has two older brothers she has learned to watch all sorts of things. Lately we are watching Final Table, a cooking challenge across countries and Miral is into it. Left on her own she would watch My Little Pony all day long, so it makes it even more special that she sits and watches with us. Not many four year olds can watch all the nature and cooking shows!
You are the first child of mine who eats like me. You will sit with me and eah a bowl of tomatoes and olives. You also try lots of food, calamari is your current favorite. Finally, someone finally realized how delicious tomatoes and olives are!
You are funny! You have such a quick wit and can quickly corner me with it and then make me laugh out loud about it. You laugh easily and have eyes that sparkle just like you dad.

For your birthday we decided to celebrate and all go to Sea World. This was our first park since Hong Kong Disney Land for Malcolm’s third birthday. I wasn’t sure I ever wanted to go back to a big theme park, but Sea World has changed me! It was such a great day. I was worried (when am I not worried when trying new things with kids) mostly because it was a very hot day, but the kids loved every moment of it.

We started the day with a dolphin show and a present for our birthday girl. A heart necklace with an M on it. This moment must have been really special for Miral because she always brings up the moment she opened her blue box after the dolphin show.

Soaking wet after a water ride!

I tried to dry off here and paid 5 dollars for a hot air blower in 100 degree heat. So i decided to stay wet. These three loved it!

We got to feed sting rays shrimp! Well, I didn’t touch any raw shrimp, but these guys did.

We headed home and Miral opened up her presents and we had a cake made by grandma. Such a fun and special day!

A few days later when all our family was in town we had a Frozen birthday party for Miral. It was probably the first time ever so much of our family was there for a kid’s bithday party, pretty special! Both grandmas, both aunts, all the cousins, granties, great uncles!

We all got to wear crowns.

People- find yourself someone who looks at Miral the way Laurel does. I have never seen anything cuter than these two. Maybe I have a super soft spot watching these two together remembering all the things Daphne and I have done together over the years and I can see it in their future- girl trips, college drinks, wedding dress shopping, and I can’t wait to see them through the years grow together. Ok i have to stop bow before I cry.

Same with these three. They were so cute hanging out all weekend. They journaled and played and talked and loved being with each other. It is pretty amazing we had all these kids together and no one fought!