Happy 5th Birthday Ava!!!

 

Happy 5th Birthday, Ava!!!!!!!

 

BIRTH day!

1st Birthday! 

2nd Birthday

3rd Birthday 

4th Birthday

5th Birthday

Oh, my Ava. Five years old. I feel like I’ve blinked and the past five years have disappeared. Each age brings something new and exciting and you are blossoming into such a lovely little girl. And that’s just it. You’re a girl. Not a baby, not a toddler, but a girl. And I think that’s why I’m having such a hard time with you turning 5 – it just seems like this age marks the end of your baby and toddler days.

I ask you all the time if you can stop growing and you look at me and put your hands on your hips and say “Nooooo! I can’t stop growing.” Your looks have also really changed this last year – you LOOK older. You’re growing up so, so fast, and I love watching you grow, but oh how I mourn the passing of your babyhood.

You’ve gotten really independent this last year. If we can’t do something for you immediately, you’ve started figuring out a way to do it yourself. For example, if we can’t get you a drink right away, you’ll pull your stool to the cabinets, get down a cup, and get your own water.

You love to play with girlie things, like Barbies, My Little Ponies, Polly Pockets, etc. You also have great creativity and love to draw and make arts and crafts. You’ve really thrived in gymnastics and you have a deep love for music and dancing. You listen to music so much of the time and you like to sing along loudly and without knowing the words, which is sometimes the funniest thing ever! You also really want to be a “cheer girl” and you talk about it and practice cheer moves all the time!

I’m amazed at how smart you are and how precocious you are! There are times you leave your Daddy and I just looking at each other, shaking our heads and chuckling because of something you have said or done. You’re also very stubborn. It makes it SO SO hard to parent you sometimes because traditional punishment just doesn’t work, but I know that one day this will be something you can use to make your mark. I look forward to seeing that day.

My sweet (not so) baby Ava. You were my first born baby, the one who made me a mama, and I love you more than you know. I simply cannot tell you what a blessing you are to me and your daddy and your brother, and our whole family. You have such a special spirit and I thank the Lord each day that you are mine. You are sassy, sweet, imaginative, feisty, giggly, and one of the biggest joys in my life! Stay spunky, sweet girl! Mommy loves you!