Rachel 4.0

What a difference two weeks makes! Rachel is no longer gasping in her sleep. Her breathing no longer interrupts her every two minutes. Therefore, she is getting better sleep and is a lot less cranky. That makes her so much more a pleasure to be around.

The ear tubes have improved her hearing too. Her teachers have remarked how much more she pays attention since she can hear better.

Not a day goes by when I can believe just how much I love this child. Every day, Rebecca and I appreciate the gift we received four years and two months ago. She's a daddy's girl and I'm a daughter's dad.

Rachel smiles readily; she sings and she lights up around children younger than her. She doesn't even seem to run around in restaurants anymore. Sometimes she gets up abruptly and walks away, but that's usually a signal she is bathroom-bound.

So, who is Rachel at age four? She likes pink, the Wiggles, going to the mall and jumping on the images beamed down from a projection screen on the roof, chocolate, lip gloss, Cody in her class, play ball, playing on the computer, drawing, riding her trike, the Ed, Edd and Eddy cartoon (which mommy and daddy think is too violent) and the Fairly Oddparents (which we find fairly funny.) She is also a big fan of tilapia, black beans and rice, raw carrots, french fries and corn on the cob (until it gets stuck in her teeth.)

She is afraid of violent scenes on tv (like that sensitivity!), thunderstorms, fire, air-powered hand driers, toilets that flush themselves and being out of sight of mommy and daddy.

Unfortunately, she doesn't like it when daddy tries to change the lyrics of her favorite songs to put her in it. "No, those are not the words!" she howls. She tends to want to hear her cd cuts in the proper numerical order. And heaven forbid if you turn off the car ignition in the middle of one of her favorite songs. "You ruined it!" she will lament. Still has a bit/lot of drama queen in her.

She still has a tremendous capacity to make me laugh. Her mother sang with the Temple choir Saturday and I came to pick Rachel up before the service. She asked why she couldn't watch her mommy sing. I told her she was too young and she asked earnestly, "I have to be 45?" I said, "Well, maybe not 45. Maybe when you're a teenager."

She is also asserting her independence. The other day she told me, "I don't need you," and told me to stand outside the bathroom stall while she did her business. Then I heard a very mature four-year-old add, "Actually, I do need you..." as the stall door opened.

I can't wait for what's next.