Filed under: keely
The year is flying by for you. You are doing really well in 4th grade. You have a great teacher and a pretty nice class. You even made honor roll. Math is still a struggle for you, but you are really trying. Sometimes the hard stuff really stresses you out and it affects you emotionally. We tell you that we just want you to try you best and that is all anyone can ask of you. You do not like anything that requires studying or practicing. I almost fell on the floor one night when I came in your room to tell you goodnight and you were “studying” your history notebook for a test. Whaaa? You looked so grown laying on your bed reciting history facts.
You have a best friend in your class and you two are happy to have each other. You even exchanged little broken heart best friend necklaces. Her mom does her hair with crazy color streaks and lets her wear make up sometimes, so I get to hear all about how unfair I am for not letting you do those things. It’s all coming Keely. You have your whole life to do those things. What fun things to look forward to I tell you, but you just moan at me. “Not fair!”
Your energy level has not waned at all. You still are zooming around and flipping over the couch, jumping on things, and rolling on the floor upside a lot. You sing and often make strange noises when you are nervous or excited. You love to eat on your own schedule and help yourself to making food all the time it seems. You pick one favorite a month and eat the beejeezus out of it until you never want it again and it’s on to the next thing. You still love any junk food or soda. You would live off of it if you could. When you grow up that’s what your house will be filled with, you tell me. Junk all day long. Alrighty.
You laugh a lot. You get humor and you are witty and quick. You’ve gotten us good with your one liners a lot lately. You seem so proud when you make us laugh. You like being the funny one in your class and at home. You are goofy too. We like that. Sometimes your humor can be directed unkindly towards someone and we are trying to steer you clear of that. You are afraid other people won’t like you if you act like you like someone they don’t. Classic peer pressure situation. Hopefully, our endless talks on kindness and empathy will sink in eventually. We also have to make sure we practice what we preach. You are often our mirror. We see our flaws coming at us large and raw in many of your behaviors. This parenting thing gets awfully rough sometimes. I hope you know we are trying to do the right thing for you and always trying to help you be a good person.
You love Lucas and want to carry him around and mommy him. He lets you often and it melts you. You are so happy, calm and peaceful when he wants you to hold him or sits in your lap. It’s so sweet. You then want to swing him around and play crazy games with him and he is not having that! There is screaming. Milo and you have your ups and downs. You fight as hard as you love. I guess that is normal. I really don’t know. I hope you always take care of each other and have each others back. You definitely have your own skills and interests and it is hard for you two to agree on something to do together lately.
Reading and writing poems and songs are your skills right now. You stopped reading as much as you used to for some reason. You are one of the highest readers in your class though. You are interested in outer space right now and googling things on the internet-which can be dangerous. You so want your own computer and cell phone, but it’s just not going to happen yet. We give you time on our computers and you love to play games on daddy’s computer.
You are tall as can be and growing more into a young lady. You want your hair to grow out long so we are trying that out. You want to wear what all the other girls wear and are often frustrated that you can’t because of how it all feels on your body. Lots of tears are shed when you can’t wear a pair of jeans or the ruffle shirt. You try to wear the same thing for many days when you get frustrated. You and I picked out 5 outfits that are acceptable to you and we try to get you to wear one of them each day with no repeats until the following week when everything has been laundered. When you are having a good week that system works. I hope you magically grow out of this sensory thing at some point. You think that we don’t understand and if we did we would just let you wear the same thing every day without ever washing it. Ugh. Frustrating for us all.
On Sundays, you and I started having an afternoon date together. We have a fancy drink and a snack. We sit in your bedroom together, uninterrupted and just hang out. You usually talk about school or what you’ll do when you are older. I think it has helped our relationship some. We don’t have much alone time with the two boys around because someone always needs something from me and we are always disrupted. Hopefully, we can continue our private dates. It’s nice when you seem to like me again. Sometimes old photos of you come up on my computer and I have to stop and stare at them to remember when you were little.
I love you Keely. You always ask me who my favorite kid is and I say you are all my favorites for different reasons. You say that you are my favorite because you were born first. I guess that is one reason. You did make me a mom and you are always teaching me how to be a better mom. I do keep trying. Some of the other current reasons you are my favorite are: for the way you smile, the way your eyes sparkle when you are happy, because of your sense of humor, because you are smart, because you are so creative, because you sing so beautifully, and because I know you have a caring and gentle heart. You are always my baby. Happy 9 1/2 Kinder.
March 19, 2013
My first born baby girl is nine years old now. I can’t believe it. I remember being 9. You’ve grown and changed a lot this year. We’ve just finished a pretty good summer. We went on vacation and you spent most of your days at home swimming in our pool. You just love water–well, outside water sources anyway— and you would practically climb into any public fountain or pond if we didn’t stop you. You’re our water fairy. You’ve become a great swimmer this summer too.
Keely at nine years old is beautiful, witty, tall, and funny. You are such a great (and fast) reader and witty and a bit snarky. You sometimes want to be very grown-up and mature and other times you want to be a little kid. You are often jealous of Milo for his age and that he gets to not go to school. You two have gotten close again this summer and that has been nice.
You run around through the house and yard playing strange games that make you both laugh hysterically and scream over top of each other. You still fight a lot too though and we often have to break you two up. You both adore Lucas and fight over him constantly. Who gets the most love from him? Who does he like the best? That’s stuff is no fun. Lucas doesn’t seem to know what’s going on though. He thinks you both are pretty entertaining…until you won’t let him get in on your games or take your things.
You get very upset when you are unable to do something you want to know how to do, but you will not be patient and practice at it. You just scream and cry. That is frustrating for us all. You loose things a lot and that is always a source of much distress in our house. You get SO upset about that. Your clothing still bothers you and you return to the same few articles of clothing repeatedly. You change out your clothes throughout the day depending on what activity you will be doing. There is always piles of your stuff all over the house. You try to keep things clean and organized for about a week and then “it is just too much work to put things where they go” and you stop. You’re lucky I’m a neat-nique.
You have great style when you do want to get dressed prettily. You’ll put the greatest outfits together-complete with scarves and jewelry. It looks so awesome. I’m always taken aback when I see them. You also have a beautiful singing voice that still surprises me when I hear it. It’s just so pretty. You’ve been a fabulous singer since you were 2…and you just get better each year. You can also make up really great songs. Sometimes they are slow and melodic and other times crazy and dance club themed. All of them are pretty dang good. You’ve got a musical gift I think. You also still love to listen to certain kinds of music and get really mad if we are talking and not letting you hear it. You want to take it all in without distractions. You snag away noisy baby toys from Lucas and shush us with waving hands and screams so that you can hear the words or the instruments in songs. Classical music and women sung pop/dance songs are you favorites.
You love playing the few very old school video games that Daddy lets you play on his computer. Super Mario is your current favorite. You are good at it too. You beg for computer time.
You also love the idea of magic in the world. Fairies still hold your imagination and you so wish you could really be one and live outside and fly around wherever you wanted to. Your favorite places to go is the Koi Pond downtown.
You lay next to the water and dream. You relax and get lost in your thoughts. It one of the few times that you are calm. Nature and music speaks to you. You sometimes will dress up still when you are so inspired by a movie or book.
You think it may be too babyish to do so, but without anyone here criticizing it– you dance in the back yard in full regalia. I hope for you to never lose that. I’m glad you feel safe enough and confident enough to play still, at least at home. You still sleep with Duckie too. Your favorite beloved animal. He is looking rough, but he’s been by your side forever.
You don’t really play with any toys now. Occasionally, Barbies or Littlest Pet Shop critters will keep your attention, but mostly you like made up games. You play school a lot, where you get to make the rules and be the boss. Milo sometimes will willingly sit and be your student. Third grade was not so good for you. You had a rough time of it and it effected you and our family a lot. The stress of it all and some bullying really made for a bad time. You were a wreck. It took a few weeks of summer to get you back to being with us and being more yourself. I hope this school year is better for you. I want you to have a great fourth grade year. Thankfully, your birthday was not on the first day of school this year!
We love you so much Keely. Happy 9th birthday! I hope this year is wonderful for you.
September 7, 2012
Keely you are 8 1/2 now. You are in third grade. You love all the social-ness of school, but not so much the work. You have friends and seem to be liked by most of your peers. You try very hard to not ever get in trouble at school. Math is still a big struggle for you, but you really are working at it. You have a hard time going to school on Mondays and after breaks, but during the week you are alright. You are even good about getting your homework done.
You get very caught up in the who has what and what other kids get to do or have, if it is different from you. You want to be like everyone else-wear their clothes, watch their shows, say the things they say. We keep trying to convince you to just be you. You’ve got great style and a really fun personality. When you are in a good mood, you shine. You are silly and giggly. You are also witty and smart.
School has brought us lots of germs and sickness this school year. You are sick every other week! It’s ridiculous. Being sick seems to just be the way of life for you lately-colds and stomach bugs. It is really starting to get to you. I can’t blame you either. My poor girl.
When you aren’t sick, you love to eat. You eat dinner and then you eat two more dinners after that. You eat from the time you get home from school until you go upstairs to bed. You couldn’t be any thinner though. You’re like a string bean. Tall and lean. You still have a crazy sweet tooth too. You’d love to carry a bag filled with candy around with you all day. You bring a lunch to school every day and complain that I don’t give you enough food. You are pretty picky about what you’ll eat in it though. I pack you a note and a small treat every day too.
Milo and you get along half the time and the other half of the time you tease him or try to get him upset. I think you try out the bullying you see at school on him. You usually apologize later. Other times, you love him and laugh at all the funny things he does. He wants to be your friend, but his feelings get really easily hurt by you. Lucas adores you. He even says your name. You love to carry him around and make him laugh. You don’t want him to get bigger. He’s your little doll now.
You’ve been really sweet to Caribou lately. Cuddling with him and taking care of him. He loves to curl up next to you whenever you sit down. He follows you around to see when you’ll end up at, so he can join you. It’s sweet. He’s a grumpy, old man now, so it is good that you are caring for him.
I can’t hardly take any photos of you because you always make goofy faces at me. Ah well. You at age 8 I guess. You don’t really play with any toys now. I guess you are too big for that. It is sad that those young ages are over already. You do still have a zoo of stuffed animals. You are scared of ghost and monsters and having trouble going to sleep at night. You have your millions of animals to keep you safe and a few night lights.
You love to sing still and your voice is really very pretty. You still like to read a lot. At night, we’ve started watching Little House on the Prairie and you love all the drama between Laura and Nellie. You get so excited and roll with laughter at their antics. I think you wish you could act out the way they do when some one bullies them. You live vicariously. No one ( and no animal) is ever allowed to get hurt or die in any book or show or you will fall to pieces in tears and refuse to read or watch it ever again. That sensitivity still remains.
I don’t get to spend very much time with you between school and the boys. It’s kind of sad. I only get to really talk to you at night before bed. I hope this summer we can have some nice time together. You are growing up so fast. We already have glimmers of the handful of a teenager that you’ll be. I must make time to enjoy the little girl you while I can. I love you Keely. You are always my baby girl
March 25, 2012
This weekend we saw our only snowfall this winter.
Yep, that’s it. It was pretty and we all shrieked with joy to see it falling. We take what we can get.
My girl was feeling under the weather so I put her in the bath for a long time and she came out feeling better…and looking so grown.
But later in the day she succumbed to the bed. Poor thing is so sick now. I can’t stand my babies being sick.
February 13, 2012
Happy 8th year my big girl. You have grown and matured a lot this past year. You started going to public school last year for a few reasons. Luckily, you can go to the same school as daddy. We were nervous wrecks last year worrying about you every day. Our little baby out in the big, wide, crazy, world. I fell into depression over the choice to stop homeschooling you. Thankfully, you transitioned pretty well. You made friends fast and enjoyed all the socialness of school. You do not enjoy the school work at all nor the homework. We don't either. You excel at reading and still really struggle with math concepts. Your third grade teacher feels she can help you this year. We hope so.
We had a pretty good summer. We made a trip to Asheville, NC to visit Grandpa Don and you loved the experience. The hotel, the car presents, being in a new and interesting house, exploring his property and being tourists in their town were all really fun for you. The car ride is the major downfall though. You get carsick so easily and moan, cry, yell, and complain endlessly. I hope you outgrow it or maybe just learn tricks to deal with it better, until then- our travels are limited.
You turned into a sweet and mature girl over the summer. You and I were close again. You enjoyed looking at the baby scrapbooks I made for you when you were little. You read them over and over. I'm glad you liked them. You wanted to be with me and sometimes you even helped me out with the boys. You weren't having many meltdowns and things were pretty nice with you. You and Milo were even entertaining yourselves with silly games and adventures. That was good. You also spent a lot of time swimming and playing ISpy computer games with Milo.
We had your 8th party a few days before the actual day. Your real birthday was on the first day of school this year and boy were you upset about that! I tried to give you a really nice party to lessens the blow. You wanted an ocean theme. We had blue balloons and streamers. I made a blue layered cake with chocolate shells and starfish cookies. You were so thrilled with it all. You were happy. I love to see you happy Keely. Your smile and joy just fills a room.
You are into Pet Shop Animals right now and playing school. That's about all you do with your free time. Sometimes you will draw and you often read. You read really fast and can just fly through a chapter book. After you finish a book you often go back to all your favorite parts and reread them over and over. Daddy loves what a great reader you are. He will always keep you supplied with books. He and you have had a rocky time with school. You fight him in the morning and you fight him when it's time to leave school because you want to play. You call him names and hurt his feelings. He loves you dearly and wants to protect you and guide you, but you just get mad at him. You blame him for all the things you don't like about school I guess. I don't think you know how lucky you are to have your daddy there with you.
Since you've entered school this year you are back to being a little sassy at home. I think you have to separate yourself from us a little so that you can be your own person and deal with the alone-ness of school. It hurts me. I try to give you space, but I miss my summer Keely. School life is hard on everyone.
You love to eat and you eat a lot. You still have a crazy sweet tooth. You would eat candy all day if you could. You make yourself sandwiches any time you want. Your current favorite is Chickpea and also cream cheese with strawberry jam. You also love eggs and oatmeal. Who knew? You are quite independent in many ways. You make you own food often, make your own bed, pick out all your clothes, take showers. You try to avoid all things that seem baby-ish.
You like to dress fancy and always want to look grown-up. You don't want to be cute, only pretty. You wear skirts and sequined shirts. Jewelry and headbands are also on you each day. You do not care what your hair looks like though. Personal grooming is not your bag. We have to chase you around with a brush just to get you presentable. You are so tall I can't believe it. I think you'll be taller than me in a couple of years. You're still skinny as can be too.
I don't know what is in store this year for you or us. I hope it will be good. I love you so much my Keely. You are always my first baby. I have such a hard time being without you in the day and not knowing how you are or what you are doing. I miss you. We just keep trying things until something works for everyone. Your daddy and I want such great things for you and we will always be there for you on your side. Thank you for being my girl Kinder.
September 21, 2011
Happy 7th birthday big girl. We just started second grade and your reading ability has taken off. You just read My Father’s Dragon on your own and are working on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. You still love history and every historical figure that comes into your path. We must “do” history every day. You and Math are still not good friends. Milo is being mostly cooperative during our schooling time which is helping us immensely.
This year you have lost a lot of teeth, grown 100 feet taller, gotten even smarter and wittier, and professed your love for all things crazy colored. Glittery, spastic, plastic, bright-it’s all for you. You think I am so boring because I like light colors and there is so much white in our house and so many things match. You tsk tsk me and shake your head at my choices.
Some of your clothing issues have calmed down a wee bit. That has been nice. Your emotional meltdowns come in clumps now. I thought that we would be past that sort of drama by this age. I was wrong. There is still hope though.
Sadly, this year you experienced your first passing of a family member. We lost our beloved Aunt Robin this year. You took it very hard. It broke our hearts watching you so upset. Your genuine emotional pain hurt me so much. This event has brought spirituality into the forefront of your thoughts this year. It has been hard. I’m not a very spiritual person and am unsure of my own beliefs so when trying to comfort you I fell back on my Christian upbringing. God and heaven have been talked about and talked about and talked about. You have new questions daily. You stump me often. I’m baffled by all your little mind thinks about. You are so smart. I tried to paint you a picture of a beautiful afterlife and that calmed your sad heart, but you still aren’t buying it all. Every time there is a dead bug, all of your questions about what happens to it after death come back at me. You make me promise over and over that there is a heaven and it will go there. Everything must not just end. Dying being the end is not an answer to you…and then “Hey, if all living things go to heaven, doesn’t that mean dinosaurs are in heaven now? If they are, wouldn’t they eat all the people?”
You are very sweet and thoughtful. You still make and send people cards and presents often. You will spend your own money to by Milo a gift. You tell us the things you’d like to buy for us if you had enough money. You think of nice things to do for us. Sometimes you sweep the floor or wash your dishes to surprise me. You want to cuddle when you are sleepy. The rest of the time you are full speed ahead…still singing, leaping, dancing, bouncing, and talking loudly. Energetic always.
You love for your grand parents to visit us, but you always want them to play with you-not just visit. You will not accept that most grown-ups don’t play with kids toys or run around yelling to imaginary super heroes. You can’t understand why visiting people just want to talk. “What’s so fun about that?” “Why don’t you all want to sing? and play?”
You do make people smile with your zest and spunk. Your creativity is always there. I often wonder who you will be as an adult. We used to want you to be an architect. That was way before we knew you. Now we are thinking that you may go into historical reenactments or performances of some kind-dress-up, drama, shows, audiences, history. It’s got it all. Time will tell.
Milo and you are sweet to each other about half the time. You do look out for each other and that always warms my heart. The rest of the time you are vying for the biggest cookie or the most drink in a cup or the best flashlight and who can be the first down the stairs. Screaming always ensues. Little monkeys. Soon there will be a third child in our house and you are hoping for a girl. You want a sister to play with now.
Keely I love you to pieces. You are so different from me and I have to struggle often to connect with your wishes and desires and not appear or be disapproving. We are opposites in so many ways. I am trying to get my brain to just accept that. I hope we can stay close and the differences in our personalities will not keep our hearts apart. I want us to always be close. I want you to always run to me when you need comfort. I want to be there for you and I want you to know that I’ll always love you and guide you and help you be whoever you want to be. Ah, if we could both continuously be filled with patience and compassion. I will keep trying. Keely you are my baby-girl-bender and I am always your mommy. Happy 7th birthday princess.
September 19, 2010
Ah, Keely…another 1/2 year. You're on your way to seven. That hurts me. If you get any taller you will look like you are 12 though. Seriously. You have the longest legs and we don't know where you inherited them from. You are lanky and lean and leggy. You are so very active and often hyper. You currently love to go shopping. You bring your money and purse and must buy something when we go to a store. You have to pay for it yourself without my help. You also love putting on shows for us and singing loudly. Sometimes you get all dressed up in ball gowns for your performances. You love all things that are fancy and glittery.
We watched the Sound of Music over Christmas (an annual tradition) and you became enamored with "Maria". You two have a lot in common. You learned several of the songs by heart and are still singing them daily. I am quite tired of "The Lonely Goatherd" although I am impressed you can yodel and know all the words to that song.
You are doing well in school. Sometimes you get in moods and act quite lazy and floppy, but when you do what we are working on you excel. You absorb and listen even when I think you are not…usually days later you spit back what we learned about. You can read wonderfully and your writing has improved dramatically. Suddenly you are very interested in writing neatly "like a grown-up" and filling up a page with sentences. Your favorite thing to learn about is historical figures. You can't get enough of Christopher Columbus, Ben Franklin, Copernicus, Mozart etc. When I am finished giving you the material/info. that I have, you get upset that I don't have more. Your least favorite subject is math.
Homeschooling is a bit of a challenge now. Milo is very two and needy and not napping on a regular schedule. You and I have limited time alone and when we do, we devote it all to school work. This has left "us" little time to be together. When Milo is awake he is often all over me and won't let us work on any reading or projects. He steals our goods and throws our books. I am sorry that we don't spend much time together just being. I do see the current problem and I am trying to figure out how to give everyone here what they need. We took this week of school so we could spend more time playing together and what a difference that made for us. You do still need me and sometimes I think you don't. I am glad that you do. I need us too.
You try hard to get Milo to play your complicated games, but he usually he won't have it. You are frustrated by him. Thankfully, you two do still give each other hugs and are sad to be apart. When I take you to your co-op classes, Milo is so upset to leave you there. He constantly asks if it is time to go get you yet. He runs to hug you when we pick you up. We may drive each other nuts when we are together, but we are quite sad to be apart.
Winter is always rough for us. Lack of sun and outside play is a bummer. Cold weather gets you frustrated about clothing. You don't like having to have your body covered in clothes and we have such a hard time finding things that feel good on you. This winter has also brought on some kind of seasonal/indoor allergy. Your nose is pouring constantly and making life more difficult for you (and us). We finally put you on some medication and it is only moderately helping. We HOPE that it is not something in our new house that is causing your problem. I hope that the warm weather will wash it all away. We may have to move somewhere warmer to overcome this blahs of winter in our family.
Hmmm… move again? ugh.
You still want to be held often and you think it is great for us to carry you, but girl you are heavy. I try to give you cuddle time whenever Milo is not hanging on me. I am struggling being a mother to two needy babes right now. I hope that you both feel loved and know that I am trying my best.
I have considered putting you in school next year thinking maybe our relationship could go back to just being mommy/daughter and maybe you would enjoy daily social-ness, but then we have an interaction with local school kids or groups of them and I am getting you away as quickly and politely as possible and you are wondering why all those kids are so mean and crazy. I wish there was some wonderful private school that I could feel good about you going to near us. I have not found one. I hope I am making the right choices for you. I love you and I only want the best for you. I want you to be free and content and happy. I want you to love your family and know that you are loved. I so often feel like I am failing you. I hope I'm not.
You have always been my little baby. I protected you so fiercely as an infant/toddler and you really did need it. You have always been special and also trying. Many, many people have said you are an Indigo Child. It is odd to hear that from person after person, especially when we don't live in a place that is err, um…hippy-dippy. Maybe you are.
You are my baby- all your wonderfulness and all your quirks and I am your mommy. I have no experience being the mother of 6 year old you but I'm learning each day baby. You have a lot of beautiful gifts and I hope that we are fostering them and that you will blossom. I love you Keely. Happy 6 1/2 big girl.
A few questions for our resident 6 1/2 year old:
Favorite color: Pink and purple
Favorite book: All that we read.
Favorite food: Anything junky! Chocolate, Root Beer, and wild rice for one "healthy thing"
Favorite things to do: Play peg people, dress-up, sing
Favorite grown-up show: This Old House
Favorite show: Max and Ruby and The Sound of Music
Favorite toy: Ducky (sleeping buddy), wands and dress-up clothes
Favorite animal: Birds and sheep
What do you want to be when you grow up? A baker, a store owner, a mommy and fancy.
February 17, 2010
And now you are six. Six seems so old to me. I think I'm having a hard time figuring out if you're a little kid or a big kid. Sometimes you act very much like both. I look at you and you look so grown. Your body is so tall and lean and your face has such an older kid look all of the sudden. Thankfully, you still say you need some love and will cuddle with us each day.
We are in our new house now and I think you've adjusted well. You have the biggest bedroom of the house. You said you should have it because "…well, I have the most stuff!" 'Tis true.
We just got our schoolroom/playroom set up and will be starting first grade homeschool this week. You said, "FINALLY! I've been missing homeschool forever now." You are a tad dramatic still. I kid, you are always dramatic. When you are calm and composed I am shocked and look around to see what is the matter. I watch you skeptically waiting for what is about to happen. Your energy rarely waivers. You bounce and jump and leap off of all furniture. You sing at the top of your lungs for large portions of the day. You talk all the rest of the time and follow us throughout the house to make sure we hear everything that is in your head. I don't know how you are not exhausted by noon. I am.
We started two classes at a new co-op this year. Your best friend, Shelby is in your drama (ha! drama for you?) class, so that should be fun. You were very excited to go the first day and told me that I could leave and that I didn't need to walk with you or hold your hand. "Finally, I get to go all alone-by myself!" you told me. Milo missed you terribly when you were gone. I hung in the parking lot for awhile not sure of what to do without you. I was so worried something would go wrong and you'd lose it. I also just don't know what to do without two kids in tow. Eventually, the heat got to us and Milo and I went home. It was so weird and quiet without you. I love (and need more) silence, but I missed you. You are so alive and vibrant. Our home was empty without you. My heart was sad.
You don't care what people think of you. You aren't embarrassed ever, self-conscious, or unsure of your looks. You don't know what is in-style with clothing or popular characters. You gladly wear missed matched or dirty clothes…if they are comfortable to you. You are currently wearing a headband on your forehead 24/7 and there is no stopping you. I try to realize and appreciate these things about you but society has trained me well. I must do you right and not pass that on to you. I really do want you to be whoever you want to be…Pat Benatar sweatband and all. I think we all would be happier if we just go to be.
You still are the bird lady. Now you love magic wands and desperately want a real one. You won't be convinced that they don't exist. Pink is your new favorite color. You scan your belongings and claim there isn't nearly enough pink. "Just look at this mommy. Do you see enough pink?" You're now saving your money to buy pink things and shiny pink things and a pink magic wand with a bird on it! maybe a pink bird! Oh Keely.
Your love of junk food is immense. If it looks crazy colored or sugary you want it…and then you want more of it. We limit it. Usually you can't eat all that you think you can…and complain of your belly hurting after a few bites.
You are observant still and the memory on you is crazy good. It always has been. No one can beat you at a memory match game. It's comical how good you are. You can also read well-when you want to. If I ask you to then you always claim it is too hard, you don't know that big word, or you are just a terrible reader and can't read a single word, not a one. Later, you'll pick up a book or read some ridiculously hard to decode word/sentence like it's nothing. My jaw always drops.
Milo adores you and does everything you do. Plays your games, picks up on all you say, and so looks up to you. I'm so glad you have each other. He still isn't allowed in your room, of course and watch out everyone if he touches your special things. The loudest shrieking and squealing match always follows those times…good gravy. It makes the parents crazy. Thankfully, there is enough sweet sibling time to balance out the not so nice bickering and the No! It's mine, mine, mine time.
You still love to give us cards, letters, and tightly taped itsy-bitsy wrapped presents. Love notes liter the house, piles of your discarded trinkets passed on to us lay about, taped on jewels with strings and stickers dangle here and there. Your love displayed and given. You are sweet baby.
The sensory thing is still going strong. You go on weekly food jags….provolone sandwiches for lunch and dinner for weeks and weeks. This dress only for days and days. We still have an awful time finding clothes and shoes that fit you just right. You will only wear this pair of purple socks. You will only wear this Land's End dress even if I buy you more of the exact same dress. It just "feels wrong". At home you are mostly wearing your undies…and the headband. "It is what it is." has been our mantra lately.
I love you dearly my lively girl. You know what you want and how you want it and that is a good thing. Being you is one of the best ways to be happy I think, so you just keep on keeping. Mommy and daddy will keep trying to let you do that. Happy Birthday my baby and yes, you are still and always my favorite little baby girl. Chocolate, whipped cream, soda pop kisses all over your face.
September 13, 2009
And now you are five. Your daddy and I are having a hard time thinking of you as a 5 year old. It seems so big. We keep telling you that you are still our little baby girl. You've gained so much more personality this last year. You grew even more intense, more determined, more independent, more beautiful, and more amazing.
I guess the biggest thing that happened in this year is your new role as big sister. You have become such a wonderful care giver to Milo. You love on him. You instruct other people in the right way to play and talk to him. You help him and give him toys. You never have said a mean thing about him. You make us so proud. Of course, now that he's mobile you do have your grab-your-things-and-hide-them-from-him moments.
You are so tall that you look older than you are. You have long legs. You are thin and your hair is usually wild because you can't stand for me to brush it and you rarely will do it yourself. You have quite a few freckles scattered across your nose and forehead.
You still have you favorite clothes that you wear more than anything else. You dislike shorts, pants, and socks. When it's warm you are most often found in just your underwear. We've learned a lot about you and ourselves this year. We've learned more about patience and letting go of things that just aren't important.
You talk (and negotiate) endlessly. Sun up to sun down. You usually go to sleep at 8:30 and wake up at 6:30. You started going to sleep in your own bed this year, but you always come in and get in bed with us whenever you wake up. You tell me that you can't go to sleep without me. When I tell you that you are still my baby, you tell me that I'm your baby too.
We took you to 7-11 to get your first slurpee and we ended up getting a few more throughout the summer. You insist that they are called "7-elevens" not slurpees. "Can we get a 7-eleven today?" You still say, "bemember" for remember and "renoculars" for binoculars. "Wush" for wish. "Taste-it" for any kind of dipping sauce. "White soda" for Sprite. " 'spose" for suppose.
You love birds. You set up your bird office several times a week and do your very official birdie work there. You carry a bag and a basket filled with your bird paraphernalia most every time we go somewhere. You can make some really good bird calls too-cardinals, chickadees, seagulls.
You stopped liking music for awhile and every time I turned something on you'd tell me to turn it off. You won't let me listen to any kind of talk radio, podcasts etc. either. Lately though you have decided that you like music where no one sings. So, we are listening to that. One day we had violin music on in the car and I looked in the rear view mirror and you were sobbing sadly. The music was making you so emotional, so sad. No more mournful violin tunes for us. You have always been a sensitive child and we always need to treat you sensitively. I know you have so many beautiful things inside of you and sometimes we can't read what you need and you don't know how to express what your feeling or how to help yourself through rough patches. We are all still learning.
You have gotten quite independent this year. You love to get your own glasses and pour your own drinks. You make your own sandwiches and anything you can do for yourself, you do. For awhile I would get your toothpaste on your toothbrush for you and leave it in the bathroom. You would then get my toothbrush ready for me too. It was messy and sweet. You stopped that now because you like to get your own things ready. Sometimes you declare that a day is "beach party day" and you tell us everything we need to do. You gather supplies, you pack lunches and drinks and there is no question that we will participate in your plans. Some days are "love days" and for a few hours you do things you that you think show love. Other days you pick a person and it is their day. You do nice things for them, including making them presents or taking money out of your piggy bank and insisting we go to the thrift store or the dollar store so you can buy them a present.
You love stickers and making cards. We get love cards daily. You draw and write so well. I love reading your notes. Caribou and Sadie also get cards. You tape them up over their beds. You have decided that you do not like dolls. You prefer your animals. Ducky is still your favorite animal. He sleeps with you every night. You talk to him before you go to sleep at night for quite awhile. Things related to Hello Kitty are also in your favor right now.
You decided that you do not want to go to school this year. It helped me decide to try homeschooling. You said, "I can't go to school ALL day because I would miss you too much." and "What if I needed you?" You are starting gymnastics soon and I'm signing you up for a few other classes too. We are still trying to find a friend for you. I had no idea it would be so hard finding a nice girl your age to play with.
I love you my baby girl. You are wonderful and so very special. Happy fifth birthday.
September 8, 2008
Keely's birthday was Saturday and Tropical Storm Hanna was scheduled to hit us at the time of her party. We didn't let it stop the festivities though. Her grandparents came anyway and it turned out the storm wasn't bad at all.
This year she wanted a chocolate cake (3 layers) with white frosting and rainbow sprinkles. When cake time came, she blew out the candles and then said, "NOW can I make a wish?" We said, "Yes!" No matter that the order was backwards. She said, loud and proud, "I wush I was a bird!"
She had a wonderful day and now she is five.
September 7, 2008
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