five and a half!

my sweet Ellie! We've been hyping you up all day about your half birthday tomorrow (look at me a day early!) and you didn't like it at all and kept saying, "I just want to stay 5 forever!" and when I asked you what you love about being 5, you answered that you just love to play and be my little girl. sweet pea! you have been so much fun this past 6 months.

I feel like you really matured a lot... like all of a sudden, you are sweet and kind and fun all the time and it doesn't feel like you really really needed a nap and didn't take it ha. there was a while there where you were pretty grumpy and I honestly think you just weren't getting the sleep you needed. we pretty much keep you sleeping downstairs now, which helps a lot but i'm not sure why. when you were with Jo to sleep, you just didn't go to bed...you'd stay up playing calico critters long after Jo was sound asleep ha and Jo would complain so so much about all the mess you'd make in her room. it is just working much better for now! but Johanna's 2 cats both disappeared out of nowhere a few months ago and she wants another SO bad and I think we are going to let you get your cat this Christmas...*shhh*! and Jo is all saying that you can sleep in her room every night once you have your cat so it can kind of be her cat too hahaha. you were so good at taking care of Jo's cat Sparkle- like you took care of all the food and water and scooped the poop from the litter box- all of it! so I know you'll be an excellent kitty owner and you'll be sooo excited to have your own! and it will be good for Avocado to have a playmate again. I hope you really want a cat still come Christmas! you also want to try again on your ear piercing. your Ita wants to take you...we'll see!

I just bought you a bunch of Yoto cards and will be giving them to you tomorrow morning- can't wait to see how excited you'll be! you love audio books and the Yoto player gives you so much control over what you're playing. you listen to something most nights before bed and you're going to be crazy over some of these new ones! wellie wishers and some mouse detectives and more Zoey&Sassafras (your favorite cutie science detective stories).

what else? we got your hair cut a while ago and it is SO cute now! the lady cut it pretty short- pixie like- but it made it all line up with your bangs and so no more bangs finally hooray! and you look adorable. with your missing tooth and your short hair- so summery and adorable. you dress so cute too! you begged me for a skirt and I finally got it for you- a little peach skort. and you wear that thing constantly! it is already looking ragged. I was like ugh a brand new article of clothing and no one to pass it down to, but it won't be able to be passed down ;) you also love to wear socks with your flats and it is so stinkin' cute. You love to wear a whole bunch of clips in your hair and you often accessorize with jewelry and a purse.

you actually have your first wiggly tooth! but you're pretty scared because your first lost tooth was pulled out of nowhere at the dentist. we went in for a cleaning and they said the dead tooth was infected and had to go and *boop* out it went and you'd had to get a shot to numb the area and there was a lot of pressure, etc. so you are a bit traumatized about losing teeth so far! we've told you a lot that it won't hurt, but you're still scared. poor sweetie!

your brother Zeke is going to go to a physical school this next year and you really wanted to join him and do kindergarten at the school too... i really thought about it, but I wanted to teach you kinder! I taught all your other siblings to read and I wanted to teach you too! and do the apple unit study and the zoo membership and all the other special kindergarten things i've done for the other 3 so far! plus I think Zak would lose his mind if you were gone! you went to vbs this last week and Zak asked for you a lot in the mornings! You loved VBS and you have another one coming up in a few weeks. you are such a big girl now!

oh you were in your first performance! a ballet recital. you didn't do any real dancing, but you had the cutest little part. you were a little girl going to a doll shop to pick out a doll, but the dolls came to life and the doll you'd picked was missing when you went to pick it up and you got mad and then the dolls tapped you on the shoulder and you ran off scared. ha. you did a great job! you had to be sitting on stage for most of the performance and you looked so cute! you aren't doing a sport this summer just because the dance class for your age is on a different day than all of your siblings, but we will start you up in the Fall again. you actually really want to do gymnastics and you keep surprising me with your little tricks. you can almost do a pullover on the bar! and you taught yourself how to cartwheel and flip on the trampoline! I think we might have to try gymnastics too! you'll have Fossil money for sports next year so WOOHOO! we did get a Sharc membership, so you'll get to swim lots plus park play and such, so you'll stay plenty active this summer!

you tried Kimchi in GMC Academy during geography studying some country and you love it! you like to eat it wrapped in seaweed- go girl! you also still love your milk and ask for it with several meals a day. you love all snacks and sweets and take forever and a day to eat your meals. I often have to set a timer or let you know that if you leave the table your food will be taken away.

you love to ask for things indirectly. instead of "Can I have some?" you'll say, "I wish I could have some of that...but I can't." and then just look at me. we are working on it and it kind of drives me crazy haha.

you're not very excited about learning Spanish- we really really need to encourage it! I would love to see you be able to have actual conversations with birth mom... you two have limped along through playing together, but there can be so much more! we need to make it happen!!!

you are just such a joy in our family! your presence is so full of laughter and sweetness. You are so quick to help- always the first one to say, "I'll do it!" and even picking up slack where your older siblings are being lazy- getting the eggs for Johanna, feeding the cat for June, helping Zak get dressed, etc. You go out of your way to love on your people. Anyone lucky enough to be loved by you, knows that you love them! You do such a good job of showing your affection- I am always blown away by the sweet ways you show me. You and Zeke told me to come upstairs last night (dad was working late again- another night of me doing all the bedtime/clean up and you knew I was tired) and had made a little "spa" with a few chairs pushed together and a blanket over them and pillows and you took Zeke's paint markers and painted my toenails and even added a layer of topcoat. You came running over with a little cup with ice and you'd squeezed a little cutie orange into it for flavor. you precious girl! Honestly, my first thought was that you guys were going to make a mess that I didn't want to have to supervise clean up of, but I softened and went upstairs when you guys asked and I am just so thankful that I get to be surprised by your little acts of love. what a privilege it is to have little people who love me so much that they go out of their way to make me feel seen and loved. you're just the best! your precious little voice and your silly jokes- you LOVE to joke! your adorable sense of style. you never want to be alone- always with your people! I am so thankful to be your mama and I love you more than I can put into words, Eleanor. You are a delight and you fill my heart and my days with joy and I couldn't be more proud of who you are and the girl you're growing into. You are kind and responsible. You are generous and humble. You are quick to serve and quick to forgive. You are a loyal friend. You are a hard worker! You are creative and artistic and oh so thoughtful. You are my little best friend and I want to keep you around forever and ever. never grow up- always stay 5 and mama's little shadow and helper. you are wanted and loved and delighted in- I pray you always know that! Te amo mucho!