SIX

{six}{five}

She’s just over 4 ft tall and weighs just over 50 pounds.

She has lost FIVE teeth this year (one fell out in her food, she pulled two, Daddy pulled one, and Mama pulled one). Her six year molars are coming in quickly, and a sixth loose tooth is on its way out.

Still a big Mama’s girl. Doesn’t curl up in my lap on the couch much anymore but will sit right up next to me or in my lap if I ask. Still holds my hand in a parking lot. Likes to “get cozy” by putting on her pjs (sometimes doubling them up) and getting on the couch or in bed under covers to watch tv. When she’s sleepy or upset, she wants me to carry her, and when I do, she’s either stroking my hair (especially a ponytail) or my back.

She throws out random ‘I love you’s’ to us, and she loves to ‘beat’ you with ‘I love you mosty.’ She mostly has great manners, and I love the way she says, “Thank you, Mommy!” for fixing her dinner, bringing her milk, etc.

She can get completely in and out of the car by herself- I don’t even have to open or close the door now. Also, she can completely get herself ready (when she wants to) by getting dressed, brushing her teeth and hair, etc. She’s just recently learned to tie her shoes, although that could take a good long while if she wants it to. She often wants to go to the bathroom by herself if we are out to eat (and sitting right next to the door), and she’ll most of the time order her own food or ask for a to go box.

She sleeps in Mama’s bed every Friday night (and grinds her teeth like a champ). She sleeps through the night just fine but will wake up with the first glimmer of the sun- usually up by 6 or 6:30. During the school year, she goes to bed by 7:00. Hasn’t had a nap in a LONG time.

She can navigate the tv and Netflix all by herself and understands wifi and Bluetooth. (“Mama, are we on wifi so I can play this game on your phone?” “Can you turn Bluetooth off so I can hear this video on your phone?”)

Loves dancing, riding horses, and playing soccer. She did cheer camp and art camp this summer at school and loved both. She’s retained all of her swimming from last summer and can still swim across the deep end. She’s added doing back flips, multiple front flips, and handstands to her list of tricks in the two weeks she has swum this summer. She’s taking a strokes swim class this year, and she also asked to take pony camp at Aintree.

She had a bit of an allergic reaction to Blue when he first joined our family, but it subsided after a few weeks/months. After our trip to Ireland, it has come back with a big bang. The hives and rash also come out when she’s riding. TBD if this is a new allergy or maybe heat related.

She hasn’t had an asthma attack since December. After the last one, Dr. Vargo started her on Singulair every night plus a controller inhaler, and these seem to have done the trick. We have had a few wheezes during the spring, but her albuterol inhaler and/or a dose of steroids nipped it in the bud.

When she wants to, she is reading like a crazy lady- street signs, texts on our phones, menus- but if she isn’t in the mood, she puts on the brakes. Spiffer is the best at tricking her into practicing by playing school with her. She’ll do anything for “her students.”

Still only drinks milk, water, and sweet tea (split with water) really. She adds juice into the mix every now and then, but she hates bubbly drinks (thank goodness she’s not like her mama!).

During the second semester of school, I told her I’d only walk her inside two mornings and that we’d do the car line the other days. (In first grade, you can’t walk in at all, so we had to get prepared.) By the end of the school year, she was totally used to it and would ask me to walk her in occasionally on special days. She didn’t want the SDS boys to help her out of the car, but she was excited to see one of her teachers in the line every morning. Also, Lovey didn’t go to school with her at all the second semester- he stayed home on the couch. They all but quit having nap time after Christmas (not that she ever slept anyway), so there wasn’t any need to take him. He’s still a constant companion for bedtime and milky though.

No interest whatsoever in riding her bike without training wheels. Gets violent when you ask her.

Still has a very confessional spirit and can’t keep a secret to save her life.

An interview with the six year old:

What do you want to be when you grow up?  Teacher and doctor

Favorite color?  Pink (same as last year)

Favorite food?  Corn (same as last year)

Favorite princess?  Sleeping Beauty

Favorite toy?  Lovey (same as last year)

Favorite city?  New York (same as last year)

Favorite animal?  Horse

Favorite movie?  Inside Out (saw it with Addie recently)

Favorite tv show?  Miles from Tomorrowland (currently watching it)

Firsts during the past year:

• Water slide and slip and slide at Rowan’s birthday last summer
• S’more making at Sunshine Mountain
• Swimming big time
• Horseback riding
• Pedicure in the massage chair and feet in the water
• Lost her first tooth in mid October
• Sled in February (also lost her third tooth that day- second in one week)
• High heels- Cinderella shoes- and flats with no straps
• Cutting her own hair to get out clip
• Splinter at park in Hernando
• Tying shoes

Some recent gems:

I asked her if she ever turned her listening ears off. She responded, “No, I’m nosy. I like to hear things I’m not supposed to hear.”

As she opened birthday gifts from her friends and found one that didn’t have a tag, she said, “I ought to pull their card for not writing their name on the present!”

In her bed one night, she told me to close my eyes, go to “helengrace’sfunnies.org,” and I would see all of her funny dreams.

We passed an old, beat up truck, and she said, “God bless that truck, Mama!”

“I love Minnie. She’s so prissy.”

HG noticed that I was taking in a new package of loud, patterned napkins that John had picked up at the grocery store. She asked me what I thought about them, and I said, “They’re just so…” And she piped up, “Flashy?”

“I’m glad I’m still little. I don’t have to drink wine, fix dinner, or have meetings. I can play all I want, although I do have to help around the house.”