Happy 5th Birthday Joey!

Joey is 5 years old today! Hard to believe my baby is already five, but at the same time, I feel like she has been five for a long time already. She is so mature and tall, and the youngest of her friends so by the time her birthday comes around, I am mentally prepared for the next age.

Joey is very eager to start kindergarten. She has read almost twenty books now and really enjoys math. The girl loves her workbooks and is very excited at the prospect of having her own desk (what prompted my whole PB job thing).

Physically she has become so brave and can do all sorts of stunts that I was not prepared to see her do. Monkey bars, handstands...she is also a fast runner just like I was when I was a kid. She still loves to choreograph her own little dances, loves to twirl and do her little yoga poses. We were singing karaoke at my mom's over the weekend and was very upset when none of the mics worked...just like me when I was an adult.

The other day, Elysha was being grumpy and said she couldn't draw well, and Joey encouraged Elysha by saying, "I love the way you draw. You draw very well Elysha." It was so cute because she was using her little mommy voice. These days the girls have been really sweet with each other. They still have their moments but all in all, I have nothing to complain about...which is why I have been silent, and less humorous. I am not laughing at myself anymore (well, laughing on the outside, crying on the inside).

We were watching Father of the Bride movie (the one with Steve Martin) and during the wedding scene when the adults were crying, Joey just started bawling uncontrollably. I think she really can't handle it when other people are upset. Her ability to empathize is amazing for her age. Also, over the holidays, we talked about and prayed for people who are homeless and children who are less fortunate. Nowadays, whenever she prays for dinner, she always prays for the homeless and needy, which is so sweet.

Joey, mommy and daddy love you so very much. We are so proud of you for your big heart, your generous spirit, you are truly so loving towards your family and your friends. I see other kids being drawn to you naturally because your kindness and your joy just emanates from within. I love how you laugh at yourself when you are being silly, how you are able to empathize with others, how your love of learning and natural curiosity makes you so excited at the littlest things. You are so smart and so beautiful and I see God's nature in you. I pray that you will retain this purity and light that you possess as you grow older. That your wonderment of the world would never cease. You will always be my baby and I really feel so blessed that you are in my life. Thank you for being you.

This is from Joey's celebration at school. They walk around the sun holding a globe, representing the passing of a year. So Joey walked around the sun five times as we told stories about her from birth to turning five!