Elena - the big kid years begin - 5 years old

On Elena's fifth birthday, every day I am so thankful for the light, the fun and the way she helps us see the world. She is such an empathetic and sensitive soul. She reaches out to her friends and is so caring towards her sister. Nothing is better than coming home and getting one of her big hugs, which she pours all of her emotion and love into.

She is wrapping up her year over Junior Kindergarten and it is hard to believe Kindergarten is next year. She started the year not knowing how to write all of her letters and is now writing both in upper and lower case and starting some pre-reading. Her favorite subject is math and it is so much fun watching her embrace learning.

Not only is she learning in the classroom but you are seeing her sense of morality and spirituality emerge. Some days she surprises me with comments such as "Jesus is always with us" and "We are all brothers and sisters of God". She is helping our family to continue to think about faith and spirituality and I am thankful for that component of St Andrews education.

She continues to be inquisitive and some of the things that come out of her mouth continue to make us laugh. There has been lots of talk lately of a "sleep under" and wanting to have one - apparently this is when a friend comes over late, you watch a movie or wear PJs and then the friend goes home. I think we are a ways off from that still and I am sure it won't be the last time that my oldest daughter is teaching me "the lingo".

As her independence develops, I see her embracing new experiences and nothing makes me prouder. She has been asking for weeks to have a sleep over at Grandma's and this summer she will have her first night away from the house/family. I am sure she will love it. She is loving riding her bike, although not quite ready to say goodbye to the training wheels.

Elena's likes and personality is shining through more and more, she loves taking piano lessons and there is nothing quite like watching the freedom and joy on her face when she is singing and dancing.

It is easy to forget sometimes that she is only five, as when she was little, she still embraces talking and I am so enjoying the conversations we have and seeing how her analytical mind pieces things together. We definitely now have to be careful about what we say around her, because she is soaking EVERYTHING in. It is pretty hilarious to hear some of your verbal sayings/mannerisms, come out through the mouth of your five year old.

Elena is a caring, empathetic, smart and funny yet girl and I am thankful every day for the brightness she brings and for having her in our lives.