Six

Today you are 6. Your age now takes two hands to display.

Did you know 6 is my favorite number? It has been since I was a child and it has carried into adulthood. My first phone number (which is still your grandparent's phone number) started with a 6. Your dad and I got married on the 6th. You were born on the 6th. I hope your 6th year is one of your best.

This year has found you quickly learning to ride a bike,

developing a consuming and passionate love for dogs, especially your grandparent's Ginger,

becoming a very competent swimmer,

forming friendships with some older and idolized neighbors whose love for crafting almost matches yours,

You are creative, driven and determined. You are inquisitive and observant. You care very much about what other people think of you and have started to get self conscious when I 'catch' you dancing or singing. As a result, you are currently (by your request) taking a break from gymnastics and dance, as you don't like the recitals and public displays. I hope to teach you that your standards and goals are yours alone and that yours is the only opinion that matters.

You've blossomed into quite the artist and spend much of your time with crayons, markers, scissors, tape and paper. We've gone through no less than 30 rolls of tape this year, as you use it for almost all of your creations. You, with no guidance or assistance from your dad or me, make paper clothing,

construct your own mini-trees,

make lots of angels, fairies and princesses in several different mediums, elaborate lego buildings, fill our stairway with paper lanterns,
make your own kite with chopsticks, creating jewelry with tape and paper, and, sometime, 'arting' on your brother.

Favorites:

Color - pink and purple

Food - Chicken Pot Pie, Berries, Strawberry Ice Cream

Movie - Tangled

TV Show - Wild Kratts, My Little Pony

Activities - Doing Art, Swinging, People Watching, Asking Questions, Swimming

This weekend you and I were at a playground and you asked to swing in my lap. We worked together to get you up into my lap (the swings are pretty high off the ground at this park) and, while successful, we found ourselves sitting in a swing that was absolutely still and were too high off the ground to use our feet to get it started. Thus we started slowly moving forward and backward, our bodies working in sync. The swing started to shift, ever so slightly and we continued. After a few minutes of quietly working together as one, we got the swing moving steadily and enjoyed the feel of the rare breeze in our hair. We talked easily about little things, even though, as you said '[you] couldn't see my face but [you] could hear my voice." Swinging in the shade with my ever-growing little girl still fitting in my lap brought a few moments of pure bliss for me.

Today I met you at your school to eat lunch with you in the school cafeteria. You had a huge, face-filling smile for me when I walked into the noisy, active cafeteria and I couldn't get to you fast enough. We made our way to the parent tables on the stage and your smile never left your face. I know all too well that my presence at school and in front of your peers won't always bring you joy, so I will thoroughly enjoy the days and years that it does. You happily pointed out your new friends and solemnly explained the rules of the cafeteria. You told me you liked my shirt and politely thanked me when I shared my kiwi with you. I let you have one of the birthday cookies that I was dropping off for your class and you beamed. I thought back to one of our first lunch dates, when the two year old you jumped up and down in the booth with a mouth full of mashed potatoes and I almost teared up thinking about how much you've grown up in four short years since that meal.

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl. You are so very treasured and loved.

Love, Mama