I have been putting off this trip down memory lane for as long as possible! I finally sat down and looked through Hallie Kate's pictures from the last year! Two hours later I am finally typing. It never ceases to amaze me how much change occurs in a year. Sometimes it's hard to notice when they are under our nose everyday. I can't believe this is my last year with HK at home before she goes to school. That's a thought I don't want to entertain very long.
To say this last year has been a trip would be an understatement.
To say that HK is a strong-willed young girl would be an understatement.
To say that I couldn't imagine my life without her would be an understatement.
Journey with me...
June 8, 2006 - Hallie Kate Oldham was born EARLY in the morning!
June 8, 2007 - HK's first birthday. Then she moved for the first time to her 2nd home.
June 8, 2008 - Hallie Kate turned 2 years old. Later that year she would become a big sister.
June 8, 2009 - Hallie Kate turned 3 years old.
June 2009
June 2009
Our annual Holiday World trip...this one was when she just turned three in June '09
July 2009 - She loves to play outside!
July 2009 - She LOVES to sing...really just music in general!
August 2009 - Dressing up like her Daddy! She is pretty sweet on her Daddy!
August 2009 - She just LOVES to dress up in general. You will see that theme as we continue.
September 2009 - Once again expressing her love for music...this time a bit inappropriately (she is missing pants). I love her tongue hanging out. She has to have that out when doing many things or if concentrating very hard!
September 2009 - HK demonstrating her Paso Doble. I love that she is in mid-air and her facial expressions capture the dance quite nicely!
September 2009 - She has finally learned how to sleep on the bed and not fall off. We do still put the body pillow on the outside edge. However, none of these positions have been achieved in quite some time!
October 2009 - I love this picture. This is an old pair of my glasses that she found.
October 2009 - Once again demonstrating her love of dressing up. She got on this kick of being a bride. She would ask me to put music on. She would then want me to announce her and she would very seriously make her entrance...then of course dance.
November 2009 - Our annual photo shoot for Christmas cards
December 2009 - Can you not see the attitude and drama oozing from her???
December 2009 - She also LOVES to bake and help in the kitchen.
January 2010 - Once again dressing up...in my things this time. I think this instance she was getting ready because she thought she was going to get to go with Daddy to play basketball.
February 2010 - Falling asleep with books all around her has been quite the normal scene for bedtime this past year! I'm pretty sure unless extremely exhausted she could not go to sleep without a book (or usually more) to read! 
March 2010 - She LOVES being outdoors and especially swinging!
April 2010
May 2010 - Once again capturing one of the many parts of her personality!
May 2010 - And another side to her personality!
June 2010 - Our annual Holiday World trip this past June! What a fun day!
June 8, 2010 - HK turned 4 years old!Dear Hallie Kate--
Hopefully that gives you a fairly good overview of what year four was like for you.
People that knew me as a child have begun to call you "Little Betsy". You think that's funny.
You have learned SO much this past year...some wonderful things and some not so wonderful.
I love seeing how your heart is growing to love Jesus. You love when we read your Bible every night before bed. I love hearing your childlike faith when you pray at night. You care so much for others and that is evident by your prayers. You love to sing songs about Jesus. Sometimes you sing along with the ones on the radio or just make up your own. The ones you make up are my favorite.
You love your brother so much. You two are such wonderful playmates. I hope that you will always be careful of what you do or show him because he watches you like a hawk and tries to imitate anything you do! I love also how you pray for your new brother to be healthy and strong.
If I began to make a list of the things you enjoy I could go on and on, but here are some of your favorites...ice cream, popsicles, pizza, fruit, ranch dressing, salad, playing outside, swinging, dressing up, princesses, reading, puzzles, playing with others, your tent and tunnel, swimming, the slip n' slide, dancing, playing restaurant, and helping do jobs. You have an energy and zeal for life that is plentiful. I wish I could bottle it up and sell it!
You moved to your third home in your four short years. Once again you transitioned beautifully. You love your new house. More than that, you love being near all of your grandparents! I'm so thankful you love them all so much and have such a great relationship with them. It will be something you will cherish through the years.
I think my need to be organized and plan things is rubbing off on you. I usually tell you the night before what is on the agenda for the next day. Now before I can tell you anything you ask me, "Where are we going tomorrow, Mommy?" or "What are we doing tomorrow, Mommy?". Then you will also at times try to tell me what we should do and then ask, "Is that a good plan?" or "That's a good deal". I just love when you say those things to me! It's good to be organized and have a plan, but we have to stay flexible, HK!
On the not so wonderful note...you know I can't leave this out. I don't want you to think you were too much of an angel! You have a will of steel my dear daughter. I pray all of the time that God will help us to mold that will to be used for His good and His glory! Some days I wonder how we will ever make it through the years to come if this is what you are throwing our way at age 4. If there were a contest on fit throwing I am pretty sure you would win hands down. We have come to believe that your fits are these crazy, absurd, out of body experiences. I use to think that only kids that weren't disciplined acted like that. You have definitely made me repent of that thinking! Wow! We tried everything under the sun positive and negative when they occurred, but they always got worse. So we began to just completely ignore them and you at that time. I will have to say that worked better than anything. These actually peaked this past June. They have not been as bad the past few weeks so I am hoping maybe we are on the road to recovery... possibly. We are also working on your attitude! Little four year old girls are not suppose to have that much sass and attitude. However, your Daddy and I are not giving up. We may be gray by 30 (which is just a few weeks/months away for us both), but we love you too much to give up on seeing these fits diminished and your attitude changed! You possess so much personality that I can't wait to see how God uses it my dear daughter. Let's just say you have what it takes to shake things up and get things done! I am praying that the Lord is preparing a very special young man to be able to handle and compliment your personality one day!
This past year with you has been an amazing roller coaster ride! You are no longer a baby or a toddler. You have become a full-fledged pre-schooler. This next year can go very slow sweet girl! I still have so much I want to teach you before I send you off to school. I pray you will love Jesus, love others, have joy in your heart, and be kind to others. We also have to work on handling frustrations and disappointments better. You seem to be past your night-time scaries...of which we are very thankful! Since we have been in our new home you have not said you were scared one time!
I know this next year is going to make you grow up even more. I know that you are going to be such a good helper to Mommy with the new baby. I am looking forward to spending this year with you, loving you, watching and helping you grow!
I am so thankful to have you as my daughter.
As I tell you all the time...I will always love you. I may not like or love what you do or how you act...but I will always love you my sweet angel!
