And Then You're Five

Dear Bryanna,

Normally, I would've been writing this the night before or the morning of your birthday. This year, I'm sitting here after your party, hoping I'll finish this post before I fall asleep.

You woke up this morning and said, "I can't believe it's finally my birthday!" And honestly, neither can we. I asked you last night if you must turn 5, you told me yes, because being 5 will be so much better than being 4.



So much happened at 4. Your stutter suddenly went away not long after turning 4. It went away so quickly that we forgot you used to have one. You also managed to break your arm twice! Once in May when you were on the monkey bars and fell. You were so happy with your purple sparkly cast!



Then towards the end of the summer, you were on another monkey bar and fell. Somehow fractured your elbow. Both times you dealt with the break like a trooper and you told me you'd try to "be brave and not cry". Your dad and I are hoping this is the end of bone breaking. Let's have a year of rest, shall we?


You continue to love big. You love role playing with Mackenzie and Al. You are best friend to both and somehow, they seem to cater to your desires a lot! (Al, can I have your fries? Thank you! Or Mackenzie, I WANT THAT STUFFIE! And somehow, she'd give in to you)



You've learned to clean on your own this year, on your terms of course. When you do clean, you do the best job. You learned to write your name and you now know the 7 continents. You know your days of the week in French and seems like you're almost ready for kindergarten!


Your best friend is Ava and this year you've become inseparable. You see each other at least 4 times a week. Every time you see each other, it's as if you hadn't seen each other forever. Your love for each other has been the best thing to watch this year. Jinkels, Nickersons, Jinkernickels - those are just a few names we've come up with now. 


It's hard to believe you'll be going to kindergarten this year. You told me turning 5 means that you'll start feeding yourself and that you won't need us to lay with you anymore before bed. I hope 5 is everything you wish it will be. I hope you continue to love big and be kind. And you will still be persistent as ever but gentle with  your friends. I hope this year you'll continue to teach me lessons on being patient and living in the moment. I hope hugs at 5 will be even bigger than hugs at 4.

Happy birthday Bree. I love you so much!


Love, mom

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