You are now officially a 5 year old. When and how did you get so big, in such a short amount of time? This past year has gone by so quickly and there are so many amazing things that you’ve done.
One of the biggest things that you did was graduate from Pre-K. You and your class recited all of the things that you’d learned and you read a book to the audience on your own. We were so proud of you, Pumpkin. You can read and write your ABCs, you can sound out your letters, and so much more! The unfortunate thing is that you are in Pre-K again this year. You just missed the Kindergarten cutoff date (due to your birth date). You were a little disappointed that you weren’t starting Kindergarten like many of your friends, but you got over it quickly, and you now talk about when you start school NEXT year.
You took swimming lessons this year and you are a fish in the pool. In just 2 short weeks, you were holding your breath underwater, kicking your legs, and straitening your arms while swimming. You absolutely loved it and you can’t wait to do it again next year.
We tried to talk you into participating in soccer this year, rather than gymnastics. Although you were interested in soccer, you weren’t willing to give up your gymnastics to do it. Over the past year, you have moved up TWO classes in gymnastics. You are learning more techniques, including the balance beam and the bars. You have great balance and like playing on the bars. You had the cartwheel down and then you tried learning a hand stand and all of the sudden you forgot how to do the cartwheel – back to the drawing board! (You also tried Karate at school, but it wasn’t something that kept your interest).
You had a BLAST at the Young Family Reunion this year. We spent almost 6 days total in the car driving there and back and you were such a good girl. You met a lot of your cousins and had a special bond with Erin and Jenna. They took you under their wing and had you playing with all of the other cousins in no time. You continue to talk about the trip to West Virginia and that you want to go back next year.
You love puzzles (just like Mommy) and are exceptionally good at putting them together. You completed a 200 piece puzzle this year with very little help. That puzzle is for 6+ years and you did it at 4 years old. It was a proud Mommy moment!
You are still trying to work through things when it comes to your baby sister. There are times when you are so sweet to her. You sang the most precious song to her when she was about 5 months old and it’s a video that I will treasure forever. There are also times when you get frustrated with her because she won’t keep her hands off your things. You struggle with sharing, but you are getting so much better. You will now offer her some of your toys, but you get upset when she tries to put them in her mouth, ha! I know that it will get better and I also know how much you love her. You are very possessive of her when other children want to play with her or when an adult jokingly mentions taking her home. You are a good big sister and I look forward to watching your relationship with Maylin grown over time.
You love: Frozen, Elsa from Frozen, singing Frozen songs, bubbles, drawing/coloring, playing games, singing made up songs, the color pink, dresses, anything “girly”, chocolate, ice cream, sugar, ketchup, pizza, chicken nuggets, mac & cheese, carrots, your stuffed animals, playing at the park, bounce houses, gymnastics, playing with your friends (your BFF is Lucy), and watching cartoons (Tom & Jerry, Scooby Doo, Pokémon, and animated movies).
You dislike: Mashed potatoes, spicy food, salad, ranch dressing, jeans, “boy stuff”, loud noises, thunder/ lightening, and bugs.
We love watching you grow and we can’t wait to see what you have in store for us this year! Happy Birthday, Pumpkin. We love you.
Love,
Mommy, Daddy, & Maylin
