Of our kids, Adara has been always been the most keyed into her birthday. Throughout the year she gives me ideas for her birthday gifts, talks about who she will invite to her (theoretical) party, and what she'd like to do to celebrate. She also tends to get very excited about big events, and heartbroken by something not going according to plan. We've talked a lot lately about choosing to be happy about the things we do have, instead of sad about the things we don't have. So, I was slightly nervous about just how excited she has been to turn five... but she had a really great day. :) She went to bed smiling and sweetly content, hugging her storm trooper doll.
Family time in the morning - Minnie Mouse shaped chocolate chip pancakes and opening presents.
Pumpkin picking & painting with her buddies Fiona & Charlotte.
Nail painting after school with the big girls.
Birthday dinner of plain pasta & butter. She very seriously asked Emily and Mallory to help her blow out her candles, in case she couldn't get them all.
All ready for school the next day in her new Shimmer costume.
Wearing her first "real" bathing suit all afternoon, and playing on the new rings.
I love this kid so much!!! She's like me in so many ways, and at the same time can be so hard for me to understand. She's strong and deeply sensitive and active and independent and smart.
I love that she's always up for an adventure with me, Today we dropped Emily off at gymnastics on a stunning fall afternoon. We weren't dressed to hike and we didn't really quite have time before meeting friends for dinner, but on a whim I asked her if she wanted to run up a mountain anyway. She jumped at the chance, and literally ran all the way up Gile in 18 minutes, and managed all the stairs on the fire tower at the top without hesitation despite being nervous.
