Bits: At Six

Hope Eliana, at six you are full of life.  Passionate, loud, often initially shy when performing beyond your immediate family, otherwise crazy daring and social, loving, talkative, analytical with a good dose of compassionate, beyond creative, smart, sometimes pretty stubborn, stunning, and cheerfully giving.  A justice lover.  You continue to amaze us with your observations of the world, with your capacity to learn and connect.  I told you in the note you awoke to on your birthday morning that six years ago was one of the best days of our lives.  No doubt, the angels sang when  you came into this world.

At six, you are so deeply loved. 

The day before your birthday, we looked out to find grass carpeted in shiny white.  This was quite a gift to you as you love playing in the elements, particularly water and snow.  Sissies didn't think it was half bad either.

Our baseball playing, beret wearing snowman. God pretty much trumps us all in the gift giving department.
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Thankfully the snow allowed for fun, but then mostly vanished by party day.  Since "Hope Day" and party day fell on the same this year, we mixed in a bit of both.  Sometime before sunrise you eased into bed with us and waited, semi-patiently, to open two small gifts.  You requested pancakes for breakfast, and I added a few sprinkles alongside some yogurt for good measure.  The only other thing you really wanted to do was finally go back to the sweet used bookstore down the street and choose a new title with your birthday money from PopPop and Nana.  Off you went, and Daddy even took you girls out for lunch so Nana and I could finish transforming our place into this:


A colorful, sock monkey wonderland for our colorful, monkey-loving little {big} girl.

The huge hit was Nana and her fabulous rainbow cake, which tasted as good as it was beautiful! Then the huge hit got huge-er with the surprise arrival of Auntie Brooke and Ms. Susan.  Throw in some favorite girlfriends and neighbors, Mama directing the singing of "Five Little Monkeys," and Daddy leading one awesome game of "Monkey See/Monkey Do" (a.k.a. "Simon Says").

Should have seen when that first slice was cut... gorgeous!

Oh and let me not forget you littles making necklaces and hamming it up in a photo booth, after you drank down some hot cocoa (or ate up all the toppings anyway).

And there you have it.  Good stuff, that turning six.  To say you were amped up or excited barely scratches the surface.  Honey you were s.t.o.k.e.d., from dawn till long past dusk.

The best part was having those we love with us, plus the new friends we're making. Some of my other favorite memories were the reactions when you girls first saw all the decorations and food...

You clambering to get to me while they sang you "Happy Birthday" and the hugs and kisses you planted and squeezed...

And the delicious giggles when you and your friends reviewed your photo booth shots on my digital screen.

Man.

So, didn't you just turn five?  No matter how fast it goes I hope that in life you bottle up all the joy, learn from the parts that seem hard, and continue to bring great hope to this world.

You certainly bring so much love, life, and meaning to ours.

Always,
Mama for Daddy too