Archive for October, 2010

Dear Ava- I almost didn’t do a birthday post this year for you. Because who are we kidding, it’s October. The Halloween costumes are laid out (not really) and I have to strain my brain to remember the details of your birthday. But then I remember that we started this little blog 5 years old when you were born to keep friends and family who were far away abreast of your life and what you were up to. We weren’t delusional in thinking that they wanted to hear about us. We knew it was all about you. And though the years have added a few more of your kind to our lives, I always like to do a birthday post and let you know what you’ve been up to this year. I’m sure when you are sixteen and your friends find this site, it will cause you countless embarrassment and make you hate me even more than you will at that age already.

Turning five is a big deal. You started kindergarten this year and sometimes when you look at me a certain way or say something funny and oh-so-big… I realize that you are well on your way to growing up. You’ve had a lot of big milestones recently. Reading books on your own, doing the whole bedtime routine on your own, washing your own clothes and dishes (HaHa, still waiting for that one…), telling jokes and asking LOTS of really good questions that I just don’t know the damn answer to half the time (how DOES electricity build up in the air to produce lightening and why doesn’t it happen in Oregon? Thank God for Google on my iphone).

People always talk about how much they love the baby stage. And, I did love to cuddle and snuggle with my little ones. But, I am really loving this age too. I love that you are developing a sense of sarcasm and humor (although the attitude that goes with it isn’t so fun). I love that we can actually talk about issues and real things, and you think about the conversation and ask pretty good questions, and come up with some pretty good responses. “Sometimes life works out the way you want, and sometimes it doesn’t” (you said to Olivia when you won eeny-meeny-miny-mo recently).

I love that you wanted a dinosaur party and that I had to go to the boy section of invitations to find one that would work, but also that when the day came you insisted on wearing your nicest dress. You still love animals and your most prized possession is the dogged, duct taped copy of Animal Encyclopedia. You are incredibly focused and love video games, puzzles, board games, and anything competitive. You don’t like to lose. Similar to how you don’t like to be bossed, but prefer to do the bossing (or perhaps I should say “organizing”). One of your favorite games to play around the house is “library”, where you make your sisters check out books. Or, “transforming otter” where they have to be your zookeeper while you play a magical transforming otter who really doesn’t have to follow any rules because you can magically transform to accomplish anything you wish. You can be a bossy older sister (hhhhmmmm, surely doesn’t remind me of anyone I know). But, when your baby sisters really need you, you step up and offer them a hand. You watch out for them. You interpret for them. You comfort them. You’ve got their back, and I get that and I’m happy to see it. You are not overly affectionate, and you don’t like people hugging all over you (not that I blame you). I think this is why I still let you climb into bed with us in the early morning. I still love when you wrap your little arms and legs in with mine and fall back asleep next to me. I know after a few more of these birthday posts, that just won’t happen anymore. I know I’ll miss it, and that I’ll try to remember the smell of your still-damp-from-the-bath hair and the way you always mumble about whether it is Saturday yet as you fall back asleep.