Happy Birthday to Jorja!

Today we celebrated Jorja's 4th birthday! I can't believe she is 4 already. Time really flies. She was my biggest baby at 9 lbs 10 oz, and I knew she going to big; I could just feel it. I thought three different times I was going into labor only to have the contractions stop. It was so frustrating!! The morning she was born I woke up at 5:30 am with what felt like a hard punch to my stomach -- nothing like my other two labors. I waited it out for 1/2 an hour just to make sure it was the real deal and then went to get Brad. He was sleeping in our office because he couldn't stand the two fans I had blowing on me all night, or the multiple pillows I used to support my big belly. While I was standing there waking him up my water broke. We quickly called Brad's grandma and she came over to be with Jillian and Logan. The drive to the hospital was only 10 minutes but by the time we got there I was in hard labor. I could hardly make it up to the labor and delivery area. By the time my epidural took effect Jorja was ready to be born! It was my fastest labor and delivery -- only 2 hours from start to finish. Crazy. She completely dwarfed the other babies there; it is amazing how two pounds can make such a big difference in a baby.

Jorja is a fun little girl. She is very confident and has a great sense of humor. She has this strut where she puts her hands on her hips and swings her hips. It cracks us up. She also can't say a lot of consonant sounds, which I know I should correct but it is so much fun hearing her and imitating the way she says things. We love it! Jorja is also a generally happy little girl, which is a blessing!

Here are some pictures of her as she has grown. I can't get anything scanned so I can't get any of her as a tiny baby.

She is about 18 months here.

On our trip to Nauvoo, 2007.

Jorja loves to hang out with her dad and be his helper. She even climbed in our cabinet to help him fix our sink!

Bathing with her Halloween candy 2007, 2 years old. This picture just makes me laugh.

2008, 3 years. She loves to play dress-up and wear headbands Indian-style.

Last week she crashed out on our couch and I had to take this picture. I love the big hand bag. (Thanks Heather!) She loves to put all her stuff in bags -- and when she can't find a purse she'll use a gift bag, plastic grocery bag or even sandwich baggies. I think finding the right hand bag may be a passion of hers someday.

Happy Birthday!!

She got a dress from Grandma and Grandpa, games from Mimi and Granddaddy, dress-up shoes, her own Barbie, a swimming floaty and some birthday money! It was so much fun!! She even got to pick out her birthday dinner; pesto pasta, green salad and a fruit salad. Because it was "her special day" she made the rule that everybody had to eat pesto pasta to get dessert (English Trifle). Jillian and Logan protested because they don't particularly like the pesto pasta but a rule is a rule and Jorja made sure they deserved the dessert!

I did an interview with her this afternoon and it was so fun! I have written her responses in red, the way she says things so I will interpret where necessary.

What is your name? Dorda Woot Simmonts (Jorja Brooke Simmons)

How old are you today? Four. I'm four right now? Yes. Yeah! Mommy, woot (look) how tall I am. Is I'm four? Yes. You are definitely four years tall.

Who are your friends? Melia (Amelia), and um Haiwey and Taiwey (Hailey and Kailey) (all three from church), and Andi (a neighbor).
Who else? Hayden and I have a fwut (crush) on him.
What is a crush? It is when you woot at him and go wite (like) dis. (she puts her fingers up by her eyes and then pinches the air) I do dat and woot at him and say "fwut". Windsey (Lindsey) told me.
Who else do you like to play with? Dopet (Joseph), Windsey, and Howwand (Holland)!

What do you like to play with them? Pway Barbies wit dem. And dess (guess) what Mommy. I hab a whut on Etan (Ethan) alto. And Wodan (Logan) but not our Wodan. Da one in my wat (class). I wike a (to) dump da twampoween and swim in da pool. And I wike a (to) pway wit DoDo (play with JoJo).

What is your favorite thing to eat? Pwetzils -- not da one we mate (make) but da ones we det (get) at da store.

What is your favorite color? Pint.
Why? Atud (because) my Barbie and dat pen id (is) pint. That's awesome. I weawwy want to be done!

What is your favorite dress-up outfit? My pint hat and dose (those) shoes what for my birtday and dat stirt (skirt) and dat (that) shirt. Mommy you want me to wear dat aday (today)? Want me to?

What do you want to be when you grow up? A mom. Anything else? No. Why do you want to be a mom? Atud you're a mom and I want a det (to get) married. Mommy, when I donna det batized? When you're 8. Do you want to get baptized? I want to tate dis netowit op you (I want to take this necklace off you). ("Netowit" is one of my favorite words she says. "O-Hay" for "OK" ranks high also!) When are you donna tate dit netowit op you? Later. When it dinner time? After that. (She says "after that" like "aper dat". That is also one of my favorites!)

What color is your hair? Motwy bwown (mostly brown). What other colors is it? Bwat (black). Han we be done? (Whining) My wegs are weawy (really) tired and my mout (mouth) it (is) and my arms! Almost done!

What color are your eyes? I don't know what color my eyes are! I han't woot ( can't look) at dem!

Tell me who you love and then we'll be done. Windsey (Lindsey) Morrison. Ha ha! No, Windsey Ewesen (Ellefsen). I wub Dopet and Howwand (love Joseph and Holland).
Do you love your family? Uh-huh. Who is in your family? Mom and Dad and my brodder and siter.
What are their names? Diwian and Wodan and Wenda and Wad (Jillian and Logan and Brenda and Brad).

Are you done? By mom!!

We love our Jorja!!