6th Birthday Letter to My Lily Rose

Dear Lily,

You asked me all day yesterday if I had written you your birthday letter...sorry big girl, but mommy is a day late.  You turned 6 years old yesterday on Friday, September 12th 2014!!  SIX YEARS OLD!  I fell in love with you the moment I found out I was pregnant with you and I love you even more today. 

 

You told me that you had a good birthday and that makes mommy's heart happy.  I hope you know how much I love you, and I hope you know that I would give you the world.  You had a rough birthday's eve, and you went to bed crying at 6:30pm because you didn't like what mommy made for dinner.  I was okay with that because I knew you would get a solid 12 hours of sleep in and have no troubles waking up on your birthday morning.  I woke you up at 6:30 in the morning, kissed your cheek and told you happy birthday.  You got right out of bed because you knew you were going to open your presents before school.  Little Avery followed you down the stairs.  I think she was just as excited as you were! 

 

Avery handed you your presents and she sat very calmly as you opened them up.  The first present you got was from your soon to be baby brother.  How did he know you liked Barbie and that you needed a new lunch box for school?!?  Avery was very proud to give you the present she picked out all by herself for her big sister.  She got you a Vet Pet Barbie Doll!  You told her thank you and that you loved it!  Your present from mommy and daddy was something that you have been asking for a very long time.  You were so excited to get your very first American Girl Doll!  Mommy has been going through the magazines with you, so I knew exactly which one to get for you.  Her name is Rebecca and she looks just like YOU! 

 

Daddy and I took you and Avery out for donuts before school and we brought you lunch at school.  It was fun for us to eat with you at your school.  I can't believe how grown up you are.  You brought Eileen's cookies for all of your friends and teachers at school, and they made you a very special book.  The name of the book is "Birthday Wishes for Lily".  Each of your classmates colored you a picture and signed their name and put it into a book just for you.   Your teacher, Mrs. Boyer, gave you a baggie full of birthday goodies and a birthday certificate.  You were the very first one to have a birthday in your class this year!

 

It had already been a long day for you, but that wasn't going to stop you from continuing your birthday celebration!  At 5:00, you had a birthday party for your friends at Bounce U.  You and your friends got to bounce on GIANT bounce houses for an hour and then you had cake and opened up your presents.  You have so many friends and family that love and care about you so much.  The following friends came to your party...Rylee, Weston, Izzy, Gabby, Luci, Maddox, Brynn, Olivia, Carter, Talan, Cy, Jax, Sam, Anthony, Presley and Avery.  Everyone you invited was able to come!  WOW!  After your party you chose to eat at Valentino's Pizza with mommy, daddy and Avery.  You were exhausted by the time we got home, but that didn't stop you from opening up the one present we said you could before bed. 

 

Lily Rose, my little 6 year old, I am so proud of who you are becoming.  You are doing so well in school and you have earned a PINK stamp nearly everyday at school...PINK means you had an OUTSTANDING day.  You are sweet and so very loving.  You are the best daughter, big sister and friend that anyone could ever ask for.  I often wonder how I got so lucky to be your mommy.  You are going to ask me if I wrote your letter yet, and yes I have, but you know that daddy will have to read it to you.  I sometimes can't even sit with you quietly without crying.  I LOVE YOU THAT MUCH!  I hope that year number 6 is your best year yet!

 

I love you higher than the sky and deeper than the mud,

Mommy

My BABY Started Preschool!

Little Avery Grace started preschool at the YMCA on September 2nd.  BOTH of my girls are in school...that means I have 2 mornings a week all to myself...what will I do?  I know what I will do...I will miss them and wish they were home with me! 

 

Avery is in the 3-4 year old preschool at the Armbrust YMCA.  It is where Lily went for two years.  It wasn't as hard for me sending her because we are there everyday and Avery knows the teachers and a lot of the kids there.  It helps that I know the staff and I'm familiar with the curriculum, etc.  Don't get me wrong, I still cried when Jason and I dropped her off on her first day.  Jason looked at me and said, "What?  No tears this time?!"  He was wrong...I just didn't look at him or talk to him because I was all choked up. 

 

The best part for Avery is that there are five other little kids from her daycare that are in her class.  Bad for the teachers, but good for Avery!  There are 30 kids this year, so they are doing things a little differently.  There are three teachers and they have divided the kids up into groups of ten based on their age.  Avery is in the middle group with her friends Eleni and Blake from daycare.  My niece, Presley, and two other daycare kids are in another group together.

 

She seems to being having a great time and she is excited to learn.  She tells me that she wants to be an artist when she grows up...go ahead little one...go ahead!

 

 1st Day of Preschool September 2nd, 2014

 

 So BIG!

My beautiful girls all ready for school!

 

 

All of the daycare kiddos!

Avery and Miss Michelle

 We are proud of you Avery Grace!

 

Tooth #2 is Gone!

Lily lost her second tooth on Tuesday.  It had been bleeding and barely hanging on for a few days prior to falling out.   She showed it to me before school on Tuesday, and I just wanted to yank it out.  I HATE teeth, but it was soooo close to coming out and it wouldn't have taken much.  She came home from school and told me she could hardly eat her lunch because of her tooth, and then she was crying because she couldn't eat her snack at home.  I looked in her mouth again, and it was seriously barely hanging there.  By the time we had gone to get Avery and got back home it had fallen out on its own. 

 

She put it under her pillow when she went to bed, and she came downstairs the next morning holding a dollar and said, "just a buck." I think the tooth fairy spoiled her the first time by giving her five dollars.  Silly kid. 
 

"Just a Buck"

First Week of Kindergarten Pictures

 Fast asleep on the night before kindergarten!

So beautiful!

 Mommy not wanting to let you go

 Some of your artwork from your first day

Avery is sad

Avery and I went to the park while you were at school

 Little sister is lost without you

 Having a snack with PaPa after school

Day 4 of school and already going to lose another tooth!

A Letter to Lily

Dear Lily,

I couldn't write this to you on your first day because it was too hard for mommy already.  You started kindergarten last Thursday, August 14th.  My little girl is growing up and it hurts mommy's heart just a little bit.  You looked so beautiful on your first day.  You wanted to wear a pretty dress and you asked mommy to curl your hair.  Daddy took two days off of work so he could take you and pick you up with mommy.  It was not only a big day for you, but also for mom and dad and for Avery.

You went to bed at 8:00 the night before.  We read a special book that your teacher, Mrs. Boyer, gave to you at your open house. We sprinkled "Ready Confetti" under your pillow, and you woke up as ready as ever!  You told mom you were a little bit nervous, but mommy never doubted that you would have a great first day.  You looked so grown up walking into school with your big girl backpack on.  Mommy cried, as you knew that I would.  It was so hard for mommy letting you go and knowing that I would see you until 3:20 that afternoon.  Mommy doesn't like not knowing what you are doing.  I'm used to having you by my side and always with me. 

Mommy and Daddy took Avery to get donuts because we knew this would be a tough day for her too.  She loves her big sister so much and you are her best friend.  She didn't even eat her donut...maybe because she was a little bit sad already?  She asked mommy several times during the day if we could go pick you up.  When 3:20 came around, Avery was so excited to go get you! 

When I saw your smiling face walk out of the kindergarten door at 3:20, I knew it was going to be okay.  You had so much fun and you have made some friends already.  I asked you what your favorite part of the day was and you told me it was lunch and gym.  That's my girl!  You couldn't remember any new friends names that day, but the next day you had made friends with Dana and Kylie.  You sat with them at lunch. 

Each day, Mrs. Boyer sends home a folder with everything you did that day.  You earned a purple stamp on your very first day, which means you had an OUTSTANDING day!  Way to go Lily Rose!  You were sound asleep on the couch by 7:00 that night.  It is tough waking up so early and going to school all day long.  You have done really well with your 8:00 bedtime and your 6:30 wake up call.  On Friday, you were ready to tackle day number 2, but by Saturday you were thankful for the weekend and thankful for getting to sleep in!

Mommy and Daddy are so incredibly proud of you and you have turned into such a beautiful, loving, amazing little girl.  You are going to do big things in this world and I can't wait to see what your bright future holds for you!

Love,
Mommy

Lily's Open House

Last Tuesday was Lily's open house for school.  We got to meet her teacher, Mrs. Boyer, and we got to see her classroom.  I didn't even make it to the kindergarten hallway before I started crying.  Jason and Avery were ahead of Lily and I, and he turned around and said, "What is wrong with you?!"  Sorry, can't help it...my baby is growing up and I'm a little sad about it.  Lily just stared at me and I asked her later if I embarrassed her, and she said no.  She teases me now, and always asks me if I'm going to cry.  Little turd.

 

Mrs. Boyer is very nice and Lily likes her a lot.  She had a little scavenger hunt for the kids to help them find certain areas in the room.  Lily found her seat, her cubby, the library, bathroom, the calendar and a few other little areas.  I honestly felt a little better after the open house and after seeing her room.  It's kind of like preschool...right?  She just goes a little longer and everyday!  She is more than ready to be in school, I'm just not quite ready to let her be so big.

 This also marked Lily's last day of daycare until next summer.  Lily with her daycare provider, Stephanie.  Daycare held a princess tea party in Lily's honor.  All of the little girls wore pretty princess dresses and had a tea party with lots of goodies!

 Lily and Mrs. Boyer

Such a little girl at such a big school

 Little sister playing at the playground