Growin' Like a Weed

Astoundingly, my little girl Leah is now officially five years old! Most of her girlfriends are five already, and it was killing her to be younger. She keeps saying, "I can't believe I'm finally five!" She had a great birthday which started with breakfast in bed. It's our tradition, and Leah chose eggs mixed with grits (her favorite) and sliced apples. She loved eating in my bed while watching a cartoon with Luke. Later that day, Granny watched Laney and Luke so that I could take Leah to a movie, just the two of us. We saw "Ramona and Beezus" and it was sweet to hold my little girl's hand and watch her sit and enjoy the story of girl much like her. She looked so tiny, barely heavy enough to keep the seat down, sipping the large coke that was almost bigger than she was. It gave me time to appreciate what a gift she is to me, without the distractions of her siblings. She loved the movie, as well as the Skittles we smuggled in! On Saturday, we celebrated her birthday with her friends in true luau-fashion. She had a great time, but said that her favorite part was riding down the water slide with me after everyone was gone. Sweet girl! Here are some things I want to remember about her at this age: she's determined and quick to learn (swimming, bike riding, and jumping off of the pier were big feats this year); she's imaginative and loves to pretend play; she likes to "police" the boys and tell them and me what they're doing wrong; she makes up songs and dances constantly; she loves to cuddle and gives the best kisses; she's emotional and laughs and cries easily; she's messy and clumsy and has therefore learned how to operate the dust buster; she likes to help me with whatever task I'm doing; she loves food more than most anything else; she loves to dress herself (in mismatched clothes and my shoes); she adores her new sister and tries to love on her brother; she's so much fun and brightens our home with her smile and dimples. I recently decided to keep Leah at home with me for another year, since her birthday is in the summer and she would be the youngest in her kindergarten class. When I told her, she did a happy dance and made up a little diddy. I'm going to cherish this time with my spunky Leah. Happy Birthday, Leah "Hungry" Werneth! (this song is for her, too!)