Miriam: Six Years Old

Miriam is six years old. We've gone from this:

The first-born, tiny, alien baby whose parents had no idea what to do for or with her. But we loved her.

And she grew and grew and...

she's still growing. In October she lost two teeth. A very proud moment for her.

It's so different having her gone at school. Sometimes it feels like we barely see her.

Miriam doesn't like breakfast or feeling like she's failing.

She loves to draw, write, watch Arthur, be outdoors, and eat just about anything we put on her plate. Miriam is thoughtful of others and likes to please her teacher and parents. Doing what's right and doing it all-by-myself is high on her To-Do List. She's responsible, curious, eager to learn, and loves a good knock-knock joke. There are only 11 kids in her Kindergarten class - she likes all of them and comes home telling who was funny today, who she played with at recess, who was her Centers Buddy. She can read pretty fluently but decoding her spelling is still entertaining.

Because of Thanksgiving Break, she didn't have school on her birthday which was a nice treat for all of us.

We celebrated at Grandma and Grandpa Wellman's house and then went to Light Night in Fort Wayne. Aunt Annette, Uncle Tom, and Baby Catherine were in town so she was happy to spend time with them. At the Gingerbread Festival is was a delight to examine each gingerbread creation with Miriam. She found something to ooohhh and awww over in every single one! She just LOVED the roof and LOOK at that fish pond and THIS is a Frozen castle and THOSE are jellybeans!!!!!! It was so sweet and made us appreciate the hard work each entrant put into their work.

Miriam also got to see Santa on her birthday! Not many kids have that honor!

We ended the night at the Botanical Gardens and with a fireworks show. 

Truly a dream birthday for our wonderful six year old.

Seeing Double: Five

Miriam and Vivian are in the short window each year when they are the same age. Two five-year-olds. Viv's glory days. Miriam's "I'M STILL OLDER THAN YOU" days.

And while there is a sliver of hope that five-year-old Vivian will make us look back at three-year-old Vivian and shake our heads in disbelief. Then there are these moments.

"Everybody smile!"

One more day of two five-year-olds. And then Miriam will settle back into her comfortable Oldest Sister position. Vivian will continue to be exactly who she is. And Felicity will watch it all in admiration and continue to tell anyone who asks how old she is "FIVE!"

Vivster is Five

Vivian is five. We never let her birthday pass without remembering her as our baby who came out purple with the cord wrapped around her neck.

But we also recall what a fat and happy baby she was!

And how she used to put everything, everything, everything in her mouth...

And how she was the most challenging toddler/preschooler.

Lately we're often commenting on how Vivian's behavior is improving. She wants to be helpful and tries to please her parents. She's the easiest sick child because she's tough, her pain tolerance is incredibly high, and she never complains. She's keeping an eye on Felicity and learning how to be gentle. When Mommy recently had her gallbladder removed, Vivian became Mommy's right-hand-girl. She ran to fetch things while Mommy recovered, bent over for Mommy to get things off the floor, helped switch loads and loads of laundry, didn't whine about Mommy moving slowly. Being needed made her feel valuable and loved and helped her mature.

She's curious and thinks outside the box...actually she's so busy being a Vivian she doesn't realize there is a box. She was born into a family of rule followers and straight line thinkers. Sometimes we have to take a step back and just watch her before reacting because her methods are very different from ours but she's just doing her best to learn. And someday she'll be inventing all kinds of wonderful things with her wonderful brain if we can manage to channel that wonderful energy and teach her a pinch of self-control.

She received some special gifts this year - Barbies. The first Barbies to enter our home. Presumably, the first of many.

Living with five-year-old Vivian is going to be a treat.