today

today, at 6:04am, my isabella kristan turned 4 years old.

i'm not totally sure how this happened.

it feels like just yesterday i had this gigantic belly...

and even bigger dreams.

what would she look like?  be like?

 but now i can hardly remember life without her.

as far back as i can remember, i wanted to be a mommy.

and i really wanted a little girl.

my isabella was over 9 pounds when she was born.

i should have known right away that she was a girl who would not go unnoticed.

this girl has my heart.

and i cannot believe she is already 4 years old.

this birthday has been extra hard for me to take in.

something about four just seems so big, so old.

no longer a little baby,

but a little girl with thoughts, opinions. and personality.

being bella's mommy has brought me immeasurable joy.

from the time she was a baby, her laughter has been contagious.

i love how she smiles with her entire face.

everyone says she looks just like me, 

(and i think my baby pictures would have to agree)

but i think inside she is full of her daddy.

she loves people and is quick to make a friend.  

she is funny, determined, and.... loud!

much like her daddy, you can hear her from any room in the house.

she loves to sing everything from worship songs to disney classics.

she is passionate about life, and is usually either laughing or screaming-

there is little in between for her.

this past year, she has grown up so much.

the way she talks, the things she knows.... i often find myself talking to her like a little friend.

while i absolutely LOVE being her mommy,

i admit that she also comes with her challenges.

this past year i have learned so much about consistency, patience, and grace.

she has recently fallen deeply in love with everything princess.  

i was originally opposed to the whole princess thing, but now it just melts my heart.  

at the disneyland parade on friday night, the princesses all waved and told her 'happy birthday'

(thanks to the disney-provided birthday button)

that was her favorite part of the entire day.

( and it almost made mommy & daddy cry to see how excited she was.  so precious)

she loves animals.  intensely.  if she sees a dog, she must pet it. our poor 13-year-old kitty has been drug all over the backyard by this little girl.  she chases birds and doesn't understand why they won't let her hold them like the princesses get to.  

she loves the ocean, her 'kitty boots', anything pink, sugar, riding her bike, art projects, dancing, waking up charlotte, reading books, sugar, snuggling, dresses, doing everything herself, duck-duck-goose, collecting things, sugar, writing her name, super why, swimming, building forts, dressing up, sugar, 'jessie braids' and '5 curls', her big brother, playing on the phone, bubble baths, painted fingernails.

oh, and sugar.

every once in awhile lately, she'll crawl into bed with me around 4:00 in the morning.  

i kinda love it.

i wish i could just snuggle up to her this little forever.

she makes me learn to enjoy life.

to take myself less seriously.  

to sing louder, dance sillier, and eat more cupcakes.

she reminds me that i can't do it all by myself.

so make a wish, isabella kristan bachman.

 i hope all your dreams come true, little one.

because you make mine come true every day.

i love you so very much, sweet girl.

now stop getting bigger, okay?

photos by derksen photography, mariano friginal photography, and mommy