bethany victoria | four years old.

 My girl is four years old today!


She is strong, fierce, and resilient. She is tender and empathetic with big emotions, too. I could go on and on about all the things she does to make me beam with pride (annnnd, ahem, shout in anger), but the heart behind it all is the same: I sincerely want the very best for her. No matter the cost, no matter the pain. The same is true for her brother, too.

Today was a day completely planned by the birthday girl: a trip to Target with a $20 budget first thing this morning (which she used for a Cinderella dress), pancakes and bacon for breakfast, a trip to the Greenville Zoo and Chick-fil-A for lunch with both of her mamas, Big Air after picking her bubby up from school, Pizza Inn for dinner, and lots of bedtime snuggles.

She received sooooo many calls and messages today, and she kept saying, "Everyone loves the birthday girl! That's me!" all day. I told her that we love her on all the other days of the year, too! One of the best parts of her is that she is who she is, she knows who she is, and she is unashamed of who she is. I protect that with all I have, because I want her opinion to stay the same. There is no one else like her in the whole, wide world!

Happy 4th birthday to our Bethany Victoria! This series of images reveals all of her sides perfectly: sweet, sassy, and innocent.

Highlights from year FOUR:

-Lots of trips to the beach (in both SC and FL, all year long)

-Countless hikes and neighborhood walks

-Her second trip up to Table Rock

-Her first trip to the Georgia Aquarium

-Pool days and kayak adventures

-Her first NFL game (Go Panthers!)

-Biking 8 miles on the Swamp Rabbit Trail

-Her first camping trip (just a few weeks ago!)

-Feeding a baby cow

-Dressing up as Elsa for Halloween