Belle, on your 6th birthday I want you to know all of the things I have learned about you over this year. Not much has changed since last year, but you still continue to teach me new things and amaze me with the person you are becoming.
- At the end of DK your teacher described you as a kid who "knew how to be a kid." I have been so proud of this statement. To me, this showed that you knew didn't take life more seriously than you needed to, and you took full advantage of this amazing stage of your life
- Purple is still your favorite color.
- You, my girl, keep proving to me how much of an athlete you will be. You thrive on the soccer field, you have perfected the RipStik, and you can run fast! I cannot wait to watch you flourish in this area.
- You have lost two teeth! AND, you are currently working on a third! As a kid I LOVED writing letters to my tooth fairy, Harry, and it has been so fun to watch your excitement with the tooth fairy and losing your first teeth.
- You and Evie are best friends and worst enemies. You gang up on me together (something I don't anticipate ending soon), you fight passionately, and you love on each other like crazy. Watching the dynamic of your sisterhood is so intriguing.
- You still continue to be my drama girl. You are getting better, but you can still go from 0 to 60 in no time flat.
- You are the epitome of an older sister. You are VERY concerned with Evie's safety and I Have to often remind you to worry about yourself, and I'll worry about Evie. I love your concern for your sister, but if I were Evie I made have clocked you once or twice by now.
- You are no longer "not listening." When I am talking to other adults you have your ears up and you often ask me later what we were talking about. You are inquisitive, and you on't skip a beat.
- This year you gave yourself your first haircut. First, I screamed, cried, and yelled...but in the end I realized it was just hair, and hair grows back. You're still beautiful, and short little bangs say nothing about the girl you are :-)
- Speaking of hair, you can do your own now! You brush it yourself, and you often put in your own ponytails and pigtails. You are needing me less and less when it comes to getting ready.
- You just started all day, everyday Kindergarten. It is such an odd transition for me. I have been so used to having you home most of the time, and now you spend most of your time with someone else. I know you are ready, but not so sure I have been completely ready.
- You are still such an amazing helper to me! You love to do the dishes, keep an eye on Sam, and dust the furniture. The one chore you struggle with continues to be putting your laundry away. I feel you, girl. We are SO alike!
- You have QUITE the fashion style! Since I started LuLaRoe you love to mix prints, and put anything together. I let you dress yourself, so it isn't rare for you to head to school in stripes, solids, and animal print all in one outfit! I adore your confidence :-)
- I am amazed at how one year has matured you. You used to barely be able to make it through a church service, and not long ago you sat in the pew by yourself while I had Alive, and you never once misbehaved. You are no longer that impulsive little girl you used to be.
- You are still my craft girl. You LOVE to color, paint, and put things together. You would rather make crafts than pay dolls or Barbies.
- Aside from crafts, you could play Minecraft all day. I think you enjoy the freedom of building whatever you want, and you are really good at it. If I'm not careful you would easily play Minecraft for hours on end!
- This summer you turned into a fish! You conquered your fear of swimming underwater, started jumping off the diving board, and really fell in love with the water.
- I love to just talk with you. You have questions, thoughts, and stories that intrigue me. I love being able to see the world through your eyes.
- You are trying so hard to read. You love to sit down with books and sound things out. Sometimes you give up quickly, but other times you keep trying hard. On one hand it's exciting to watch you learn, and on the other I lament not being able to spell things around you so you won't know what I'm talking about.
- You still love music. You became obsessed with Katy Perry's "Roar." You know every word and your even have you own little dance to it.
- Speaking of dancing, you took your first ballet class this summer. You loved it, and every part of me was in love with you in a leotard and ballet skirt!
- The older you get, the sassier you get! It is not rare for you to get mad and stomp around and slam doors. I have a feeling your teenage years are going to be interesting...
- You are becoming more and more independent. Picking out your clothes, making food for yourself, cleaning up your room, and doing your own hair. You like to do things for yourself, and you don't often need my help for many things (although we are still working on you tying your shoes).
- I have found that new things, or a change in the norm can stress you out a bit. If we head to the zoo or plan to go to Catch Air you are excited, but I can tell you have a heightened sense of anxiety. You worry more about what Evie is doing, ask a lot of questions about what will happen, and begin to feel rushed. Sometimes new situations seem to put your emotions in overdrive, so anything you feel, you feel 10 times more.
- You have lots of friends! It has been fun to watch you build friendships with your classmates in DK, and I look forward to seeing your relationships grow! We have entered the world of play dates, pool parties, and birthday parties.
- While you are getting better at picking things up, your ability to leave things laying around is still going strong. You like to move quickly to the next activity, and don't want to take time to pick up your last project. You are much like your mother this way.
- You thrive on being around people, and you hate to miss something or feel "left out." You have inherited your FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) from your father for sure! You hate the thought of things going on without you being there.
- This past year you found your first boyfriend. You were certain that you were going to marry Bryce, and your teacher confirmed that you guys played together at school a lot! I can't even tell you how many pictures you drew of you and Bryce. Unfortunately, your first "love" moved to a different school this year, but you still talk about him! No worries, girl, most people don't marry their first loves ;-)
- You are THE best at helping me with Sam. He can be a cranky pants, but you know just how to make him laugh and how to distract him when I need to get something done. You might only be 6, but I rely on you a lot.
- You have asked Jesus to be in your heart, and I love seeing your faith develop. You are learning Bible stories, and asking me questions about Jesus. You still aren't so sure about praying aloud, but that's okay. Keep talking to God. Keep exploring your faith!
Happy 6th Birthday, Belle! How fast it has gone! Keep smiling, keeping learning about God, and keep loving life!
We love you SO much!
