5!

Reesey-girl, you are 5! You had been so excited to turn 5 for months. Months! You seemed to think that turning 5 was going to bring so many changes. "Look how much taller I am?" you said as you looked at yourself in the mirror your birthday morning. I'm not sure how much taller you were, but I can't help but think how much older you've seemed lately. It's kind of weirding me out. The phrases you say, the things you now get. Weird. Where did my little girl go? I even overheard you tell a friend a few weeks ago, "My mommy doesn't want me to grow up. She wants me to stay little." I did tell you that.

Well, turns out I can't stop time so you get to keep weirding me out with your oldness...

Your first few waking moments as a 5 year old.

A few things about you as my big 5 year old:

• You can definitely be sassy and frustrating (you are quite emotional....what can I say...you're your mother's daughter), but you really are such a good girl with such a good heart. When you've done something wrong you will often feel bad and tell Daddy or me that you have to "tell [us] a truth". It's usually something pretty innocent like how you sneaked a snack out of the pantry. But the night before your birthday you told me a slightly bigger "truth". You stopped me as we were walking in Target and said, "Mom, I have to tell you something. One time when we were at the candy store (Party City) and you told me I could pick one piece of candy, I actually took two. I sneaked a purple one and put it in my pocket." I wasn't mad, but definitely surprised. I didn't have to say much. You knew it was stealing. We agreed that we would go to the store and pay for the piece. It was really hard and you hid behind me and clung to my leg the whole time, but you did it! (When I told your dad about it, he laughed and said, "I remember doing that as a kid." Looks like we have him to blame for your heathen ways. Ha!)
  
  
• You've just now started to want to pick out your own clothes and "do" your own hair. :( I didn't even get to pick your outfit for the first day of school. And to think that I thought I was lucky enough to have skipped this stage.

(I know it could be worse, and it has. These pink shorts seem to somehow make it into every ensemble though.)

• Your obsession with dogs is as strong as ever. One day as we passed our neighbor who was outside working in his yard, you asked, "What is that human doing?" I think you think that this world is for dogs and that "humans" are just a minor detail. So it definitely didn't surprise me that you picked a toy dog when we went to Toys'R'Us to pick out a birthday present from Momoo. And not just any dog, but a dog that pees. No worries, you immediately started potty training.

• You have become quite the little artist. You are constantly amazing your dad and me with your drawing skills and creativity.
  

  You spend so much time drawing and making crafts that I set up a little craft center for you a couple months ago. It has become one my favorite spots in the house because of how much you use it...typically 2+ hours each day.

• You love, LOVE your friends. I need to do a better job taking pictures of you with all your little buddies (I always want you to remember them), but here is one with 2 of your favorite playmates. Our neighbor girls, Danika & Aundrea. You and Claire cannot get enough of them (the feeling is mutual). And just like when you were 3 & 4, "pretend monster friends" come over to play if no one else can.

• You are a great big sister! You and Claire definitely have more than your fair share of fights these days, but you are also bestest little buddies. I love hearing you running around together cracking up, or walking in on you reading her a story or helping her do "big girl" tasks.And you are still so excited to see Everett each time he wakes up. The other day before his nap, you told me you wanted to take a picture of him so you could still look at him while he was asleep. :)
  
  
  To celebrate you turning 5, we took you to the magical land of Chuck E Cheese to play and have dinner (a request of yours after having Momoo introduce it to you a couple weeks before).
  
  We then headed home for cupcakes.
  
  You were very sweet to accomodate your very 2 year old sister by letting her wear your hat and re-blow out the candle.
  
  Yes, Miss Reese, turning 5 is a pretty big deal and you've done a lot of growing up this past year. So although it's a bit weird for me to watch you get all big and mature, I am loving the little lady you are becoming. Bring it on year #6!