Alyssa at 4...

I know her birthday was over a month ago, but today was Aly's yearly check up.  I thought I would just wait until her appointment before I posted this so I knew her 'stats' :)

Last week we went to the allergist to find out what is causing her eczema to be so severe.  Dr. Heiny and the dermatologist both suspected allergies as the root cause...and to something 'big'.  I was afraid it was some type of food allergy.  After doing the adult expanded panel of tests we found that it is not a food, but nearly everything environmental.  Pine. Pollen. Cottonwood. Ragweed. GRASS.  Just to name a few...all of which can not be avoided.  Cats also continue to be something she has a reaction to.  The allergist said she will most likely need to start immunotherapy next year.  One shot, twice a week...for {at least} 6 months!  For now, she is taking an antihistamine twice a day.  Hopefully this will finally help with her itchiness!           

Other than that she is a healthy, normal developing little girl.  At 3'6'' tall and and 30 lbs, which is the 50th and 10th percentiles, she really is a little 'peanut'!

Here are a few other things she is doing these days:

• She has finished her first year at preschool and is excited for next year already. 
• She knows her ABC's and can count to about 15.  She knows our address (but - good luck getting her to say it), can write half of her name (the curvy 'Y' and 'S's get her every time) and is getting better at recognizing her written numbers and letters. 
• She loves to do crafts of any kind, read books, 'write' stories, play outside, ride her Princess bike and new scooter and just be silly. 
• She has developed a very sassy attitude and truly believes she is a princess...which she is ;)
• She LOVES wearing dresses and HATES wearing sandals. 
• She is such a sensitive, sweet girl. 
• She's a great big sister...and loves Hannah like I never would've imagined! 
• She is still working on growing hair, but it has doubled since her last birthday. 
• She looks and acts so much like me, it is almost scary.

I still can not believe she is 4!  Some of the things she does and says blows us away!  She seems very mature for her age.  With that, 4 has proved to be the hardest age so far...I have a feeling this is going to be a challenging, but fun year!