Happy 6th Birthday to Our Olivia Cate!

Sweetest Girl,

Another year has come and gone and you have grown by leaps and bounds yet again.  You’re as tall as ever, your personality is about as big as ever, and your zest for life – you guessed it – HUGE. 

This past year you started kindergarten, and to say that you are thriving is pretty much the understatement of the century.  Girl, you love school so much and you. are. so. good. at. it.  You are reading (on a second – third grade level), you are writing like a tiny adult, you are solving math problems like it’s your job, and you are acing every single assignment that you do.  You can’t get enough of it and you adore coming home and doing homework every afternoon, too… so much that you refuse to use a homework pass even though your folder is overflowing with them. 

You have started pretending to be a teacher at home, often creating your own assignments for us to do, and reading to us “at the front of the class.”  You cross your little legs just like an adult woman would and you hold the book up so your “class” can see the pictures for every page.  I think your teacher has really made an impression on you this year and I wouldn’t be surprised to see you become a teacher one day, too. 

You already have a good little group of friends at school even though your best friend, Becca, moved away earlier this school year.  You were devastated about that, but fortunately, one of your old friends from your old daycare moved over to join you at your forever school this year.  Y’all continued right where you left off and you are the sweetest little besties.  It was perfect timing.

You have your first crush ever this year and it is an absolute hoot.  You sigh and melt at the mere mention of his name and you’ve had all of us cracking up over the love notes and pictures you’ve been making for him.  You’re starting way too early, lady!  Slow it down! 

You sing and hum nonstop and there’s rarely a moment that you’re ever quiet.  I honestly don’t know how you never get in trouble at school… and your teacher this year seems to run a pretty tight ship, so that’s saying a lot! 

You are completely and utterly obsessed with Frozen II and Mommy and Daddy and Jacob are all completely sick of hearing Into the Unknown and Show Yourself.  Every night when you step into the shower you have your own little concert and you just belt those songs out every time.  It’s so funny.

You love princesses, makeup, dresses, Hatchimals, and unicorns and this year you have started crafting like it’s your job.  You don’t care whether it’s painting rocks, making jewelry, designing your own fashion outfits, or what… you will not say no to an arts and crafts kit! 

You love to write and draw and you spend most of your free time at the kitchen table making your creations.  You are incredibly thoughtful and you’re always making cards for people’s birthdays, making handmade Valentines for your friends, and writing letters to send to Becca and your other friends at school.  It’s all completely unprompted and you are adamant about following through and having said gifts delivered.  I have a huge stack of stuff that you’ve made just for me and several of my favorites are on display in my office. 

You are still in ballet and tap and you are loving it as well.  You performed in your first recital this past year and you rocked it, but I wouldn’t have expected any less.  Your next recital is in about three months and you’re already counting it down. 

The biggest milestone this past year for you (besides starting kindergarten) was probably getting your ears pierced!!!!  You had talked about it for years, but always shied away from it when I explained what they have to do to pierce your ears.  This past year you decided you were ready and once that decision was made we didn’t hear the end of it until we finally took you.  Persistence is your middle name and sometimes that gets you in trouble. 

Another milestone from the past year was that we finally turned your bedroom into a big girl room!  You now have your very own full-size bed with a canopy, and from the moment we tucked you in that first night, you started sleeping through the night in your own bed.  It’s been bittersweet to have our bed to ourselves again, and I often miss feeling your little warm body sleeping next to mine after you would creep into our room at 2 AM.  You do still join us if you’re awakened by a loud storm, but other than that, you’re perfectly content in your own bed now. 

When it comes to food, your love for peanut butter and jelly hasn’t just remained… it’s grown even stronger!  I don’t even know how that’s possible, though.  I keep expecting you to wake up one day and realize you’re just SICK of it but you never do.  Cheese dip at the Mexican restaurant is still your other favorite and I’m right there with you on that one.

You still only drink water and that is literally it.  You refuse to drink anything else and that is just wild to me!  So many other kids prefer sugary fruit juices and soft drinks, but you don’t like any of them.  I hope water is always your drink of choice. 

You are still the jolliest little gal I know and I often find myself wishing that I could be as carefree and lighthearted as you are.  I was way more carefree when I was a child than I am now, but I don’t think I have ever been as lighthearted as you are.  I pray that you keep that light as you grow.  Sometimes life is hard, and that positive little attitude of yours will take you a long way when the hard stuff hits.

You are pure joy, lady, and we all just love you so much!  Happy birthday!

Love,

Mommy

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