My Sweet Lorelai,
Today, somehow, you turned five years old. It seems like you've been here with us forever, and at the same time, I feel like the last five years have flown by. I'm going to try to describe you, but you are so many different things it is so difficult! I love, love, love who you are. I love your sweet disposition and compassionate nature. I love that you hold your sisters hand, and you like it. I love that you always want to give hugs and kisses, and that you still think I'm so cool.
You love your "Birdie" and hug and kiss her often. I am just starting to see signs of true "sister" behavior... you kick her out of your room sometimes, you boss her around and she screams at you, etc. I am doing my best to cut this behavior off quickly before it turns into true "Katie and Leslie: The Younger Years", although you seem to be more loving then either of us ever were :) If I let the two of you try to duke it out, you are always the one that ends up coming to me crying because Birdie hit/bit/scratched you...but then you forgive her instantly. You truly live in your own world...you like to be left alone, but aren't necessarily the "independent" type who wants to do everything herself. You understand so much at this age and can have real conversations which is simultaneously fantastic and exhausting. You want so badly for everyone to get along and play together, and this usually makes you the peacemaker in social situations (although, you are a little girl and can get sucked into "mean girl" situations).
You are completely exhausting at bedtime (let's keep it real for a second here). You ask for a million things, you always say you're hungry, and you very frequently have "growing pains" (this I believe is legit since your daddy and I had them so bad growing up). It's never a simple "Time for bed!"...it's always you begging for one more book, one more song, one more snack, etc. Please grow out of this.
Also, if we're making requests, please eat at dinnertime. You graze for about an hour and then we give up trying to force you to eat, but you're always "so hungry". At least you always start off so sweet, thanking me over and over for making you such a delicious dinner!
You love all of your Aunties, Uncles, and grandparents and are always excited to see them (and your buddies Weston and "sweet baby Norah", whom you have "fallen in love with").
You are very, VERY excited to meet your baby brother, especially since the first phrase that came out of your mouth when you found out I was pregnant was "I would be grateful if it was a boy!" You got your wish, and always want to feel him moving around and kicking.
You are so smart already and know your alphabet and sounds, can sound out some words, and can copy whole sentences. We are thinking and praying about whether to homeschool you or send you to private or public school. Your opinion on the matter? "I don't care where you send me to school...if it's private or public or homeschool, as long as I can pray to Jesus."
You fill me, your daddy-o and your Birdie with such joy.
We love you, our sweet Lorelai (or Yi-Yi as Birdie calls you).
