Your Fifth Birthday

My baby my girl. Oh my Audrey little one, Today you are 5 years old. I have kept a tiny human alive for five whole years. I’m shocked we made it (you have more bruises than any child I’ve ever met- maybe less risks in 2021?) This year I had to call the paramedics not once but twice because you ate chocolate that contained nuts without permission, but we’ll get into that if you ask me about it a few years from now. For now, let’s talk about you.

You are still more than I ever could have asked God for. You are the daughter of my dreams. You’re witty, funny, sweet, charming, and beautiful but you’ll notice I mentioned beautiful last because I mean it, it should be the least important quality anyone mentions, and by no surprise… it’s usually the first thing you hear.

Your eyes are a grey green – green in the center and grey on the outside. This year you were written a prescription for glasses for those grey green eyes for absolutely no reason. Other than you wanted glasses bad the optometrist didn’t want to tell you no. You still have blonde curly hair that maintains spirals with only water and you have all of your teeth, I’m saying this now because one of your best friends just lost his first tooth so I know by next year, I may be counting how many you’ve lost. Speaking of best friends; your best friends are still Joey, Skyler, Everly and Aryelle. You haven’t seen any others during the pandemic but if you could – you would. Your favorite friends at school are Arabella, Alexander, and of course Penelope. I hear Penelope’s name so often she may as well be a blood relative, she brings you so much joy.

You are still one of the brightest 4 year olds I have ever met. I am so impressed by who you are. This year has been hard on the both of us, You stayed at home with me for 5 months and I learned I am not a stay at home mom and you learned you are a go to school kid and that’s what works for our home. You begged to do 16-21 worksheets of homework every day and ate snacks until you got tired enough to take a nap but we survived. When school began you’d be gone for 7 hours every day in a mask the entire time other than nap. You didn’t love your teacher and we didn’t either, but you still loved going to school. You learned at a very young age how to make the best out of a bad situation and though we wish you didn’t have to you gained resiliency because of it. Your new school is everything your old school wasn’t. They challenge you, compliment you, encourage you to lead others with your strengths and often use you as a standard; we are so proud of you! 

You still love learning. We had your IQ tested this year after the challenging teacher, you tested high with no weaknesses shown, and landed a 7 ISEE score - by no surprise to us. This year you learned the names of all of the presidents in quarantine, you can count to 100, continue to do simple addition and subtraction and you have memorized almost all 50 states. You love to read, draw, color, anything where you can stimulate your brain. You also love homework, it’s never a fight. We began to allow you 30 minutes of ABC mouse twice a month for a “great work” on your homework packet and you sometimes remember, usually don’t but when you do, you love to play games and earn prizes for your “room.”  You are a great negotiator.

You have tried to talk your way into everything and out of everything this year. Please keep this skill for when you are an adult. Somehow, I know you won’t be kind enough to hold this to yourself and use it with tact for 13 years so please take it easy on us.

You had a few firsts this year, first pandemic, first government lockdown, First trip to a lake, first time on a pontoon boat, first time on a tour bus, first time visiting Park City, first time eating an icicle. You visited Park City with your best friend’s family, who have quickly become some of our closest friends as well. We had the best time visiting and though it was in the middle of a pandemic, you had a great time.

Speaking of having fun in the middle of a pandemic, You learned how to swim this summer. You did so well in group lessons we booked you private lessons and you continued to soar. Though your backstroke pales in comparison to your breast stroke, you are sufficient enough to be in a pool for 2-3 hours without any type of life float on.

You still take naps at school and on weekends, Your dad plans on trying to maintain naps until you turn 6 but we’ll see. I think you may be growing out of them. You’ve completely skipped the phase you went through waking up in the middle of the night (a child proof lock on our bedroom and a sound machine in yours stopped that)

You aren’t picky – still you will eat almost everything – other than macaroni and cheese & Chicken pot pie - You still loathe that. Seaweed – your favorite snack of all time and it grosses us out but you LOVE it. Funny because it almost ruined our trip to Florida last year.  

You love to sing, dance, laugh, and play.

You are a friend that your friends like to have.

We are so blessed to call you our daughter and it is our pleasure being your parents.

 

Xoxo Your Cheerleader,

Mom

Audrey’s birthday interview - age 5

 What is your name? Audrey

How old are you? 5

What makes you happy? The happy things are, glitter – absolutely paint and glitter

What is your favorite animal? A horse and a unicorn

What is your favorite color? Pink and purple (These are great questions mom”

What is your favorite thing to eat? Soup, because I love eating soup and pasta – the white pasta with the lemon and basil

What is your favorite thing to do? Set up Christmas things like my pink tree

What is your favorite TV show/ movie? Wicked / I love Wall-E

What are you really good at? Doing backflips and somersaults without my bow on

What do you want to do when you grow up? Be a veterinarian or a ballerina teacher

What is your favorite song? This Kiss – Faith Hill “This kiss this kiss, impossible”

What do you and your mom do together? We actually do a girls only game night when dad doesn’t come home early

What do you and your dad do together? We actually go play in the backyard or Puerto backyarda as daddy says

What is your favorite book? Speechless 

What’s the best thing about being you? Wearing my pink glittery shoes

What is something that makes your family special? We are a family full of helping people who help other people

What do you love doing? I love petting tiny dogs. 

What do you know enough about that you could teach others? How to name all of the presidents, and how to swim

What is the best thing that has happened to you? I got to go on a BIG boat, and a BIG bus and they both took me to places I thought only a magic carpet could.

If you had three wishes what would they be?

Living in a pink house with a brown horse named Golden

Dancing with a prince

Dive to the bottom of a deep deep deep swimming pool and get the rings without losing my breath