the one with a 4.5 year old Tori

I am sort of dying over Tori lately and felt the need to give an update. Dying in a really good, in-awe-of-her sort of way.
4.5  years old-Ill tell you what, she is just getting soooo smart. Too smart. Today she referred to me as "girlfriend". I do not even notice how much I say that and according to Dan, I say it to her all the time! She picks up on it, and there ya go- "girlfriend". She is so aware. She is constantly taking everything in. Always watching people and reading them. What are they thinking? How are they feeling? etc.
Ava has been tough lately, really pushing buttons. She LOVES rough housing with Tori right now. Pulling her hair, pinching, biting, she just loves to wrestle! Tori is soooo good about it. She will pull Avas hair back and of course wrestle back, but she will not hurt her the way I know she very easily could. Watching the two of them interact is one of my most favorite things in the whole world. Tori will pick her up and swing her around, they cuddle all the time. If Tori is upset, crying, or throwing a temper tantrum Ava goes right over to her and lays her head on Tori or will rub Toris head, it is so sweet. Tori is FIERCLY protective of her baby sister. If I yell at Ava about something shes doing, Tori will say to me "Mom, remember shes just a baby!". Its hilarious. They also love to gang up on Mom. Tonight for example, Tori starts wrestling and jumping on me, and then who is right behind her, jumping and hitting mom? Yep, Ava. Two against one. We laugh and I ask Tori "What am I going to do when there is a third little girl jumping and wrestling on me?!" And Tori thinks its the best thing ever.
Tori is obsessed with horses. ALL THINGS HORSES. She wants a horse stable for Christmas. I found one at Target (its almost $70, so it might be her only Xmas gift this year lol) and she is always finding other new horse related things she wants.
Tori is looking more grown up to me than ever. Her hair is super long again, shes getting taller, thinning out.. I can hardly believe at her next birthday she will be turning five. Dan and I both cant get over it. 5 is like a KID, not a toddler. Shell be in extended day pre-k(3 days a week for 5 hours each day) and she is SO excited to get to eat lunch at school this year!
We drive past what will be her elementary school almost daily and we yell "KINDERGARTEN". She is so excited. I remind her that she will be there all day when she starts and she tells me she is not scared because "I will come home, Mom". It will, without a doubt, be way harder on me than it will be on her when the time comes. Tori has already started telling me that I "can drive her to school sometimes". She already prefers the idea of riding the school bus with the neighborhood kids. Thankfully I have this full next year to mentally prepare myself.
Tori Lu, my first baby. Growing so big, making me so proud.