A look back at four years of Katie

It's amazing how personalities can change and evolve in a young child. As my daughter turns four I can't help but look back at the many stages of Katie Beth Gallman with a smile on my face. Early on as newlyweds, I use to joke with tony about only having boys because girls would be far more difficult. I was quite the challenge growing up and feared a mini me.

The two ultrasounds I remember most were with Katie's pregnancy. The first being the initial one where I heard her heartbeat for the first time. Something told me this might be a girl but after hearing that heartbeat I began to think of all the wonderful things having a daughter meant and cried right there in the doctors office. The second ultrasound was the one where we learned it was indeed a girl. Feeling a bit panicked at first I wondered how bad could a mini me be. My mother warned me one day I'd get it all back, all the trouble I caused would come back two fold. But who cares we had a baby girl.

I remember she sounded like a cat meowing early on but over the years her vocal chords have gotten much stronger. Her screams remind me that loud mouth children don't lose that with age. I didn't. Until Katie hit the age of 18 months neither tony nor I slept. Early on it was Katie's reflux that kept her up and so she slept in baby seats or on a pillow next to us. At some point this set the standard for Katie's night owl tendencies. As soon as this child could walk she let us know just how child proofed our house wasn't. So we made this place look like Fort Knox within months. Every child safety gate, lock, tie, and guard was put in place for her. She knew night life as early as two. We'd find her in corners of the house the next morning with toys everywhere. But the biggest adventure to date was when we awoke to find after stacking furniture to get to it, Katie took a permanent blue marker up and down walls, doors, and furniture around the house. She hit four rooms that night. After that she helped herself to a whole batch of cupcakes on the counter and was making preparations to cook herself a grand a old meal when I stumbled half asleep into the kitchen. All the while my oldest was kicked back watching the whole thing from the floor. His statement to us was Katie woke me up and I told her no. Obviously I've never forgotten that particular escapade, along with many others. Katherine Elizabeth, our little adventurer, has not had many night adventures since.

Today, she is a sassy mini me with a heart of gold who spends her days being a little mama to her brothers. A bit more shy around people than she used to be. She prefers to study people and ask questions later. Yes, she has studied many of you. She will break out in random fits of giggles and give no reason, just giggle. She dances and sings her little heart out around the house. She is dramatic, stubborn, sweet, loving, beautiful and today as we celebrate four years of her life I couldn't be more proud of her. Thank you God for knowing my heart better than I and blessing us with our sweet girl.