Before I am a month late, I want to take time to wish Alaina a happy birthday! Six! Wow. She was always the little one and now she is so big. Literally. 90% for height and 95% for weight. Built just like her Daddy, long and lean (lucky girl. I am glad you have my dimples, but very glad you have Daddy's build!).
This was a quite an exciting year for you sweet girl. You graduated from preschool at North Raleigh Church of Christ, where you had spent the past three years. And you started Kindergarten at Endeavor Charter School. After watching your brother attend for 3 years, after coming with me to volunteer countless times in the classroom, after sitting in carpool, you are now the one being picked up. I have to admit, I wasn't sure how you would do, but you have done amazing.
Nothing has changed since your first day of school. You have left the house feeling proud to be going. You leave with excited energy and like the first day, you walk in like you own the place. : )
You have spent another year at CC and Company doing Acrobatic Dance and Ballet/Tap/Jazz. I love how your confidence grew this year with acro. You were always putting on a "show" in the living room and ready to show and tell your new stunts to any visitor in our home. You are always moving and dancing and tumbling are often what makes up that movement. Never a dull moment! This picture is from your annual Gala where you were an "After Dinner Mint". This seems to be such a fun hobby for you, I can't wait to see if it is something that develops into a passion. Either way, your spirit and energy that you use when you do it is awesome!
This year you welcomed your new baby brother and gave up your title as "baby" in the family. You were so excited to have him arrive and I knew you would be a great sister and second "Mom" to him, and you certainly have. I love how you will randomly comment about him saying, "I just love his smile, isn't it great!" or the day you came downstairs and said "Wow, he sure is getting big.", even though you had just seen him the night before. Zane is so lucky to have you as his big sister. I appreciate all you do to help out with him, even though I do have to hold you back and remind you over and over (and over) to give him his space.
I remember the day we "discovered" your Halloween costume. I had pulled out our bin of costumes, hoping to find something so I did not have to buy one and we found Conner's spiderman costume from years past. You left the room to try it on and returned with it on PLUS a pair of knee high boots and I immediately remembered the black ballet skirt and there you have it. You thought it was AWESOME. I love how you strike poses. So random, so full of energy, so fun! Christmas was a big hit for you this year as well as you got your first new bike and some sparkly clothes. You were asking for drums and luckily you have other family members that listened and your Aunt Ashley got you your very own drum set. You thought it was incredible and for weeks I heard your pounding from the garage.
This was the year that you started drawing. It has become such a passion of yours and there is not one day that you do not spend time at your table making a creation. These are some of your first pictures. It has become such a love that getting a ream of paper and fresh set of markets is as exciting as anything to you. I also love the look of pride you have when you finish your work! I also got my first "note" from you.
Your sense of style has also evolved. There has never been more a true "girly girl" when it comes to what you wear. You seem to have two sides. One side throws on a dirty pair of shorts and a random t-shirt and the other you dresses to the nines, purposefully combining clothes that reflect your personality so well. It is a revolving door when it comes to you and your clothes. You will literally walk out of the room in one outfit and walk back in with another one on. Multiple times in an afternoon!
You got to bond with your new cousin Maylin, who you LOVED matching with and then welcomed her brother Landon who shares your birthday month
It has become our routine this year that you do the prayer every single night at dinner. At first you started out with a rote timid prayer, but your prayers have become passionate declarations of thanksgiving that are really amazing. One thing has remained the same since you first started praying. Without a prompt for us, you have prayed for Maylin, then added in Zane, and finally Landon. You pray that you hope they will have a good day, or that Gresham and Jen will have fun with them, or that Zane will learn to crawl. Such a sweet and tender heart you have for your family!
This year you conquered your fear of the dentist and sat in the chair the whole time and let them clean and check your teeth! Such a far cry from the past three years where we only got as far as you sitting in my lap in the chair before refusing to go any further. I was so proud of you and was even more excited to see how proud of yourself you were.
Speaking of teeth, you lost your first one this year! You bit into an apple and your tooth suddenly became VERY loose. You were excited at first but quickly realized that you could not bite anything due to how unstable that front bottom tooth was. You went from joy to sobbing that you would "never be able to eat again". Luckily, your Daddy was willing to
pull "check" the tooth for you was able to get it to come out. You were SO excited to go to school the next day to share your news.
You went on several beach trips this year. One to Corolla with the Sandberg Family and another to Myrtle Beach with the Riggs family. You love the ocean and can be found dancing, singing, tumbling, digging, building, wave riding....but always, your first priority at the beach is finding a friend. Your confidence with this has grown and you are able to walk right up to another child and introduce yourself. You have a strong drive for companionship and friendship, especially in girls your same age.
Your brother. You adore him. You love to spend time in his room, jump on the trampoline, build forts, have movie nights, and are always seeking out his attention. This year we had to spend a lot of time teaching you how to get Conner's attention in a positive way, and that is a process, but the love and desire for friendship you have with him is a joy to watch. Even if the "love" does often turn into passionate arguments. : ) You are fiercely independent and often want to do things yourself and don't even want to be taught, but you do ask and allow Conner to show you things once in a while.
You love to spend time with all your grandparents and this year you have shown a particular interest in doing hair and luckily Nana was up for being your model. You love to come in the bathroom when I am getting ready and get "ready" yourself. You brush your hair, and provide adult like chatter that is quite entertaining.
I love how excited you get for each and every one of our family gatherings. When I tell you we are having a family party or a family get together, it is like I have told you the best news in the world. You will often be dressed and ready to walk out the door hours before it is time just because you cannot wait to see your people. Aunt Ashley being a particular favorite since you both have a spark of
crazy charisma that is so similar!
This year Alaina started dating...her Dad. : ) Keith and I had read and heard (can't remember exactly where) that a Dad dates his daughter to show her how special she is and how a real "man" treats a woman. The idea is that if she ever goes on a date and the date treats her any less than wonderful and respectful, that she will kick him to the curb because she KNOWS she can be treated, and deserves to be treated better. So Alaina, remember, you deserve to be treated with the utmost respect and adoration. You are worth it! We pray that while these dates with Daddy to different shows and restaurants are fun, that you begin to think highly of yourself and understand what being treated like a lady feels like. : )
Alaina, you take such pride in being a sister. Many of your drawings this year have been about your "famale" and I can tell that you treasure that sense of belonging. You do belong with us. You are the bright light in the house that sometimes is a strobe light, sometimes a blinding light, sometimes, like a siren, but you bring life and light and excitement to the house the moment you awake. This past year, you have started to wake around 5:45-6am on your own and I often have to call out to you to stop singing at that early hour!
While you love to gain the attention of those around you, when the spotlight is thrust upon you or given to you freely, you tend to "quiet down", literally and with your demeanor. Whether it is a stranger suddenly asking you a question, or on stage speaking in a school production, or even in front of family when you are asked to speak. Your voice lowers and your eyes dart around nervously. It is a stark contrast to the girl we normally see!
Happy 6th birthday pretty girl! After asking for your hair to be cut all year, Mommy finally got the courage to do it and you look so old now. Your birthday was special, starting out with Daddy trying to attach balloons to the car so they would be announce your birthday arrival at school. Unfortunately, the wind whipped them off the car before he could get out of the neighborhood. You Dad brought you flowers at lunch and Mommy showed up at the end of the day with balloons and cookie cake. Your brother was let out of class to join you. Mommy surprised you and Conner with a trip to the indoor pool right after school and your excitement was amazing. It was like I had just told you we were going to Disney World! : ) We finished off the night with your choice meal of hot dogs, mac and cheese, peas and fruit and then the cake you requested, a strawberry cake. You got Just Dance 4 for the Wii, a large pack of printer paper and new set of markers and a new pair of shoes.....the same shoes in a bigger size that you have worn out over the past 18 months.
It is amazing as I wrote this to you, how many times I used words like "fun", "excited", "energy" and "passion". That is what you are full of. You have a strong will and an incredible spirit. I pray that in your seventh year that your Dad and I can guide you in the way that will enhance the way God has made you. We love you so much and always will.
