Fabulous at 4

This week has been Graces birthday week as she turned 4 on Thursday. We started last weekend when my Mum, Dad, Kelly, Anna, Emma, Marcus and Callum arrived for her party on Sunday. This year we decided against the indoor playground option as Grace doesn’t seem to like big groups and instead we asked her who she would like at her party. The usual suspects (Emma, Leah, Freya, Paige, Alex, Priya and Heidi) were consistently who she wanted so I avoided the pressure to invite her whole class and just went with her invites. It was enough for her to know that she was having a party so I managed to arrange everything as a surprise without too many questions. So this  year we hired a school bus! All of the girls have been wittering on about going on a schoolbus for the last year and so I thought it would be fun and it was a riot (maybe more for the Mummys – particularly those who bagged the back seat???). The girls all came to our house first and amazingly none mentionned the bus outside. We then had Graces cake (more of that in a minute) and said we were going for ice-cream before going outside to try and decide how to get there. It was fun to see the kids faces and I think they all enjoyed the bus. The ice-cream parlour was really hospitable and had put some of Graces photos on their big screens. You don’t realise but it is the simplest things that seem to get the biggest response. Unfortunately, we have had alot of thunderstorms this week and so the rain prevented us all from going to the park but I think it was fun – Grace certainly seemed to enjoy it.

Graces birthday was Thursday and she actually needed some convincing as she thought her party was her birthday. When she woke up in the morning we had to tell her what day it was and then she got all excited and wanted to go downstairs to tell baby Callum. The look on her face when she saw her presents in the living room was just priceless.

Some sort of transformation had taken place with Grace during the night before her Birthday because she definately went to bed 3 and woke up 4. Unicorns are her thing at the moment and Patrick had cleverly sourced a gift bag with a unicorn on it which he then filled with a number of Graces favourite things. We know they were her favourite things because when she openned the hairslides with unicorns on them she said ‘ oh Patrick you are a genius, I love it!’ – I kid you not!!!! She was so excited that she didn’t stop talking and managed to have very long conversations with Omi, Grandad, Nan, Kelly and Anna when most days she won’t even talk to Diesel on the phone. In the afternoon we took her out to practise riding her new bike and then went to the chicken nugget shop for tea. Again, 4 Grace appeared when we were playing air hockey and a little boy tried to push her off the game she said’ no – I’m playing with my Mummy right now’, a little girl tried to pull Patrick and she told him that wasn’t kind and then she actually introduced herself to someone before we left. I nearly cried xx To top off the week, this morning she tried pancakes and maple syrup ……….. long may acting 4 continue!

So I’ve just read Graces 3 year update to see what has changed. Her likes and dislikes haven’t changed much but although she isn’t the greatest eater her diet is much better. Mostly due to the Deceptively Delicious book that my Mum bought me for christmas which includes ways to disguise vegetables in almost everything. She has a small group of friends who she plays with and will be quite assertive and bossy one on one. Groups still provide a challenge for her and she completed pre-school still not talking to any of her teachers. We have taken advice and will be working with her over the summer to help overcome this ‘Selective Mutism’. The suggestion that she will just talk when she wants to is something that we are not happy with and we agree with her doctor that if left untreated she could experience self esteem problems in class which could then interfere with her ability to make friends and do her school work. It is heartbreaking to see her in situations where she is uncomfortable but we are confident with some directed effort we can help her through this and let the outside world see some of the Grace that we have at home.

She still adores her brother and the feeling is entirely mutual. They do fight as Grace will take things from Patrick if she wants them. I am not sure this is a situation that will continue for much longer and I think Grace might be in for a shock when he starts to fight back. She does tend to mother Patrick and I have to remind her on occasion that I am the parent. One day as I was about to open my mouth she said ” I know, I know – you’re the Mummy” – funny xx

Despite the lack of talking at nursery she has learnt an enormous amount over the last year. I wouldn’t say she knows the whole alphabet but she probably has 60 – 70% and she can write both her own name and Omi’s. She can tell you all about the habits of a ruffle necked lizard and seems very interested in science experiments much to Diesels delight. Recently she is very interested in how her body works and will say things like ‘don’t worry my skin will protect me’ if she bumps herself. She is fascinated by the fact that we have bones in our body – Grandad saying that he has a bone in his leg adds to that. She still loves to create things and most days will draw, colour, paint or make a cake. Recently she has started to draw people and we have a house full of mini pictures of each of us. Patrick has crazy hair, Mummy has glasses etc etc.

Emotions are a big thing with Grace now and she is a real little actress on occasion. We are never in any doubt how she feels about something and will express herself using her hands, words and face. Often we get ‘look at my face Mummy, what do I look like’. I would say that mostly she is happy and it is only when wicked Mummy won’t allow TV or treats that she gets sad.

Baby Grace is definately growing up quickly and we are all excited to see what JK brings in the Fall.