your first day of kindergarten and I owe you a birthday letter

A rather long post dedicated to my fabulous five year old.

Dear Annie, 

You are of an age that often makes me think, "I wish I could freeze time."  I would freeze you exactly how you are right now, but I guess I really wouldn't, because then I would miss all the awesomeness that you are going to become.

Today was your first day of kindergarten!  You did so fabulous because you are so brave.  I often look at you and think, "oh, yes, I know that girl," because you look like me and you act like me in so many ways.  You are careful and thoughtful and you love activities like puzzles and books.  Then you surprise me because you are so much braver and yet gentler than me.  You are friendly and kind and will try pretty much anything.  No, you aren't going to blindly leap from the monkey bars in a death-defying jump the first time, but you are going to quietly try until you can do it too.  You are open to adventure.

You like jokes.  You have an exceptional memory and your favorite memories usually involve funny times.  You also like to hear my "real stories," and I tell you about what I used to be like before I met you.

You are a sensitive little soul and that makes Dad and I extra careful not to hurt your feelings.  Speaking of Dad, you love him.  L-O-V-E him.  You are the two buddies.  Of course, he is a cheat.  I made you a lovely lunch today for the first day of school and he stuck a note in there: I love you.  Love, Dad.

You love Maren too.  You are almost always patient and loving with her because it is just so great to have a friend around.  And the thing about Maren that we both know is that she is a little crazy but she is very fun.

You are still an almost full-time resident of imagination land.  You paint, draw, and dance.  We do daily shows that you orchestrate with Maren.  You are extremely clever and creative.  You absolutely love dance and will be taking jazz/acro this year because one of your top goals of the moment is to learn how to cartwheel.

One of your preschool teachers called you "the Carrie Bradshaw of Christ Methodist."  It is true that fashion is one of your passions.  You have a very definite style (and you love to talk about "style," as in "Maren has a really good style for being only two"): one that is bright, sparkly, and a wild mix of patterns.  You love to shop and lay our your clothes, and you really care about picking out something good.  Your new thing is doing your hair.  You recently cut bangs.  NO!!!!  And yes, you and I have spoken on and on about how girls with curly hair cannot have bangs and you have promised you will not cut your hair again.  You like your hair down with a center part, and sometimes you (already) hate your curls.

You are growing up so quickly, but you are not all the way there.  Today, when you came home from kindergarten, you took off all your clothes, made a big mud puddle in the backyard, jumped in it, played with the hose, played dress up with Maren, gardened (more dirt), picked some flowers and put them in a vase on the kitchen table, had a very sudsy outdoor shower, and read Amelia Bedelia before bed, which had you laughing like crazy.  Do you see why I want to freeze you right where you are?!

I did a brief birthday interview with you:

How old are you turning?  Five. 
How does it feel to be five?  Good. 

What is your favorite color?  Bright sparkly pink. 

What is your favorite animal?  Baby kitty cats. 

What is your favorite thing to do outside?  Play water.  

Inside?  Play. 

Who is your best friend?  Hannah.

What do you like learning about?  I am interested in snakes.

What do you want to be when you grow up?  Artist.
What is something you like to do with Mom?  Play with the art box.
What is something you like to do with Dad?  Body slams.
What is your favorite toy?  Girlsey.

Where is your favorite place to go?  The park.

What do you love to do?  Suck [my thumb] with blanky in bed.

Do you think you will get married some day?  Yes.  Of course.  Laughs.
How old do you think you will be when you get married?  I don’t know.  You never know how old you will be when you get married.

Are you going to have children?  Yes!  Of course.

What is one of your kids going to be named?  Sabrina.

What is your favorite food?  Blackberries.

Your family birthday party, which you planned down to the very last detail:

 

First day of kindergarten:

Your birthday video:

It is a joy and an honor being your mom.  I love you so much.

Happy birthday big girl!
Mom