Leah Is Six

We had so much fun celebrating Leah's birthday this year!  She decided she wanted to have a "late-night" pajama and movie party, and was so thrilled when so many of her school friends were able to attend.  She wanted to do princess crafts, manicures and pedicures, a dance party, pizza, cake and ice cream, games, and a movie.  And somehow we actually fit it all in!

I was surprised and delighted to see Leah take the time to read through each of her birthday cards before opening each gift.  Leaning to read has been one of the best parts of the last year.

For Leah's actual birthday (which was on a Sunday this year) we were excited to have Grandma Morales visiting us.  Leah is always dreadfully spoiled with Christmas and her birthday all rolled into one week, but that certainly wasn't her doing, so we go ahead and indulge the spoiling- it's our only chance all year!

I don't know how often I actually characterize my kids on the blog, so I'll give it a shot now.  Leah is a complete delight and we are so happy she is in our family.  She is creative, sensitive, and thoughtful.  She is obedient to a "T" and could probably think of no worse punishment than to be scolded by her teacher or lose a sand dollar.  She is funny- she says things that show that her brain is always working- and she is confident.  She is a bit timid but doesn't need the approval of others to feel good about herself.  Despite that, she does worry about what people might say about her if she is doing something that she feels is odd- using a red backpack instead of her usual silver and pink one, for instance.  Leah doesn't want to grow up and she doesn't want to go to first grade.  She wants to stay with Mrs. K forever.  Reading gives her confidence and she has remarked that she has learned all there is to know (something I quickly assured her would never be true!).  She likes to write notes and loves to get answers in return.

Leah is beautiful.  I sometimes just stop and look at her with her big brown eyes, her defined cheekbones and her wavy brown hair and I just can't believe how beautiful she is.  She likes to pretend she is still a baby but she also is one of my favorite people to converse with.  I get excited every day when we pick her up from school because she is someone to talk to and with- she likes to hear my ideas and tells me her opinions about everything.  She loves to imagine, to dance, to draw and to read.

She still asks to twirl my hair at night and doesn't appreciate the fact that I can't pick her up and toss her around quite like I used to- good thing she has a strong daddy to take care of that.  She likes to look fancy and will always choose a dress over pants.  She fusses over the floof of hair that occasionally pops up when her part isn't just right.  She wants to have hair as long as Rapunzel.  She still loves and protects her blankie- which is now two pieces of filthy, stringy rags that she likes to chew on, to snuggle with, or to turn into a bouquet of roses, a fancy dress, a baby doll or a cape.  She is afraid of the dark, monsters and Halloween, and very occasionally has nightmares that send her into our room in the night.  She wants to learn how to play the piano, the violin, and the harp.  Leah is a fantastic big sister- she cares for Adam and Emma like a mother hen after her chicks and is always mindful of their happiness and comfort, even if in the next breath there is a squabble over a toy.  She has a lot of patience, but she can mimick my sternness with Adam and Emma with frightening accuracy.  She sometimes needs reminders that she is neither the mother nor the father of those two.  Also like a parent, she loves to brag about her brother and sister to anyone that will listen.  She wants to grow up to be an interior decorator, a violinist, and a mommy.

For her birthday dinner date with Mom and Dad, Leah chose to go to IHOP.  Her six birthday questions were-
1. Who is your BFF? Cousin Sarah (others are very close seconds, but Sarah has been the number 1 for years)
2. What is your favorite book? The Pigeon Gets A Cookie?! by Mo Willems (she received a copy of it for her birthday and gave a copy of it to Mrs. K. for Christmas)
3. What is your favorite movie? Barbie Princess and the Popstar
4. What is your favorite food? French toast casserole and hot cocoa
5. What is your favorite thing to do? Draw
6. What is the most exciting thing about turning 6? I get to have a pet! (Perhaps when we move to Iowa... she wants a bunny "because they have the smallest poop")

Another wonderful year with our sweet little tiny.  Happy birthday, Leah-Bee-ah!  We love you!