Now We Are Six

My oldest daughter turns 6 this week.

6 years old.

It just sound so old… so, not a baby, not a toddler, not a preschooler, but a… girl. 

I spent some time looking back at pictures and videos this past year and I realized that 5 is a significant year.  She grew up A LOT this past year.

She started school.

She learned to read.

She learned to add and subtract.

She lost 3 teeth.

She learned to ride a 2 wheeler.

She taught herself to slide tackle in soccer… totally illegal in pee-wee soccer, by the way, but so completely instinctual for her that it was impossible to get her not to do it.

She grew as a gymnast…learning new skills…taking longer classes…

She made new friends.

As my role shifted from just mom to mom and teacher in this year of her life, I realized I have gotten to know her better.   I didn’t know how much she loved numbers and math and order and categories. 

As I think back on her 5th year of life, I’ll remember the winter hats she loves to wear… 24/7  because “I like the way my head feels when I take it off.”… The way she always writes all her Sunday School papers in black and yellow crayon, alternating each letter, for every paper, every single week…the Hello Kitty book bag and lunch box that she was SO excited about getting for kindergarten that she proudly told anyone and everyone everywhere we went, all about it….The cute khaki jumper she wears to tutorial and the fact that she always has to put shorts on underneath so she’ll be allowed to do cart wheels at recess.

I love how easily she smiles and how hard she works.  I love watching her grow into herself.  She no longer follows in her big brothers shadow wanting to do everything that he does the way that he does it.  She’s come into her own.  Which has caused some ripples at the circus this year.  But, I love the girl God has created her to be and am excited to see her continue to grow. 

Now We Are Six - A.A. Milne

When I was one I had just begun
When I was two I was nearly new
When I was three I was hardly me
When I was four I was not much more
When I was five I was just alive
But now I am six, I'm as clever as clever;
So I think I'll be six now for ever and ever.