The Moody Lifestyle: Rylie is 4 years old!

Rylie turned 4 about...oh...3 months ago! I got around to blogging Bo's birthday three months late, too, so it looks like I'm on schedule here! Jordan's birthday is coming up, so maybe I'll have her update by Thanksgiving;)

Anyway, I most definitely want to share about my sweet girl being four years old, even if it is so late!

Rylie got this hand-me-down dress from friends of ours with 2 little girls. I saved it for a few months so she could have a special birthday dress. She was delighted with it! Isn't it adorable???

Telling you that Rylie loves summer dresses would be an understatement! She loves them so much that we got into more than one battle about wearing them EVERY SINGLE DAY this past winter. I finally learned to pick my battles, and this was not one I wanted to pick! When you go to battle with Rylie, you go to BATTLE! I actually love this about her. I'm praying that as she matures into a woman of God, He will use this quality of hers for His Glory, and that she won't back down when her faith is tested and tried.

This is the meaning of Rylie's name, and the verse we've prayed over her since before she was born.

Ever since Rylie was a baby, total strangers would comment that she must be the "ornery one". Her orneriness makes her a complete joy to be around, but I'm quite sure it's the source of most of my gray hairs!

You get a new bike when you turn four at our house!

Rylie seems to live at the extremes of life. If she's happy, she's extremely happy. If she's angry, she's extremely angry. If she's being silly, she's extremely silly. It's like she puts everything she has into whatever she's doing. I'm praying that God will use this quality about her as well, that she will live whole-heartedly for the Kingdom of God...that she would not be a luke-warm Christian, but put everything she has into living for Christ.

Ice Cream cake from College Hill Dairy Queen!

Rylie is learning to draw people, and they look just like Jordan's first drawings of people. A circle for the head, and two arms and two legs coming out of the head. Rylie loves to do things with her hands, which makes me think she'll be a kinesthetic learner. She's always been good at problem solving, which makes her very good at puzzles.

I'm going to do some preschool with Rylie this year, so one of the academic goals we have for her is that she'll learn the letters of the alphabet and the sounds they make. She recognizes just a handful of letters right now.

Birthday set-up.

I would have never predicted this when she was a baby, but Rylie tends to be pretty shy. Even though she's so fun and spunky, it really only comes out when she's in a place she feels comfortable. This also makes it hard for her to participate in group activities unless she's gotten used to the group and the teachers/leaders.

One thing that Rylie got from me is that she doesn't like change. It was the hardest on her when we moved into our new house. She wanted to go back to the old house for months! It made it even harder when we also started going to a new church at the same time. She finds comfort in two things, though: her blanket and sucking her fingers. However, the rule is that her blanket has to stay in her room.

Rylie plays very well with other kids, but she also plays very well on her own, too. She could sit in her room forever playing with the doll house toys and pretending conversations among the family members.

Another thing I love about Rylie is that she likes to explore with me. We have a great neighborhood for exploring where we get to discover all kinds of little creatures.

Rylie loves to sing and dance. She makes up songs, and appears to have a natural talent for dancing (which she must have gotten from Justin!)

Messy!!!!

I love my sweet, funny, spunky, and silly Rylie-Bylie (that's what I like to call her:)). I can't wait to see what God has in store for (I pray) many more birthdays to come!