Five

 

Today is the day my daughter turns five. 

 

Five years since I held this tiniest of humans.

And now my days are filled with this bubbly, energetic, bouncing-off-the-walls little girl.  And I can hardly remember what life was like before I knew her.

This daughter of mine is someone who is independent, outspoken, and opinionated.  She has got attitude that goes on for miles...and although we find ourselves frustrated with it at times, I know that she will be a feisty, brave, courageous woman, and I am proud of that. 
I work every day to find ways to encourage and guide her toward good behavior, respect, and humility.... while not squashing that feisty spirit.

She loves her family unconditionally and knows that the most important relationships in this world are with family.  She has deep, loving, interesting relationships with her grandparents and aunts and uncles.  She understands that her cousins are going to be her lifelong best friends. 

 

 

 

 And she also knows that there are people in our life who are not related to us, but are family just the same. 

 She loves the outdoors, she loves to camp, and she loves to travel.

  She is learning to have a deep respect for this planet, and she's learning the value of science as a way to understand and appreciate the natural world.

And she is a true festivarian kid.  Although she will continue to develop her own interests and hobbies, we sure do love that for now she's willing to join us on all our adventures.

  
She is musical down to her bones.  Her life is full of dancing, singing, performing, and singing some more.  She composes her own music, and can also immediately memorize every lyric to every song she's ever heard.  Our days are set to a soundtrack of Sadie's songs. 
She knows that music is one of the absolute most important things to her mama and daddy, and she has embraced this musical life of ours with open arms. 

 She is learning to be thoughtful and empathetic. The work of parenting right now revolves significantly around helping her realize how her actions affect others around her.  Her heart is big and loving and as she gets older I know that she will learn how to let that lead her actions.

She has a style all her own.  Her guiding principle in how she presents herself to the world is simply to choose whatever she thinks is most fabulous. 
I love this about her...she glitters and sparkles and shines and is nearly always the most colorful person in a room. 

Photo credit: Ian Terry

She is truly the most interesting person I know.  The thoughts, ideas, and stories that she shares with us never cease to amaze and entertain me. 

And she is my favorite person in the whole world. 

Five years.  Five years of looking into the eyes of this little human who is as much a part of me as my own arms and legs.  Five years of doubt and frustration and worry about the responsibility of raising a child  in this crazy world of ours.  Five years of adventures and laughs and stories and bedtime snuggles.  Five years of the biggest joy and inspiration and contentment I have ever known.  Five.  Wow.  

Florida in Photos

 Finally a family photo session.  We have so few of these pictures....

 Down time with my parents at the beach...



 
Cousins on the Gulf of Mexico.  Just like my cousins and I thirty years ago.  I so treasure that our children are now making these memories together....

 

Dinner at Crabby Bill's, of course.  And Sadie was the one man band's BIGGEST FAN EVER.  She danced up there in front of him all alone. 

  

Visiting with old friends who don't live so close anymore...making up for lost time.

A perfectly lovely Thanksgiving day.  It started with a very cold run for the annual family 5K.  But it sure felt good to run (and good to run at sea level!)  

The Thanksgiving table at my Aunt Cathy's house was gorgeous as always, and I am so thankful that she makes it possible for the entire family (nearly 40 of us) to actually sit down together. Such an amazing feat, but so worth it!

 

We celebrated Chanukah together for the first time in more than a decade! 

 A visit to the Florida Aquarium...

 Late nights with my cousins...Hunger Games movie, beer pong, movies, chatting, Trader Joe's snack explosion.  Oh how I wish we all lived closer so that we could do this more often.  I have so much fun, laugh so hard, feel so comfortable and safe and happy when I'm with my cousins, my brother, and all the spouses who've become a part of the family.  It makes me so sad when this trip comes to an end every year. 

 And of course...watching this next generation make their own memories, and follow in their mamas' footsteps is the best thing ever....