Ah, my Zoë. You are five. FIVE! That's a whole hand. I never knew that a whole handful of years could pass so quickly and yet, here we are.
Words you still can't pronounce:
story=stow-dee
Oliver= Aw-ver
hospital=hospible
blanket=blanqwet
yellow=lellow
This year you:
-Danced in your first major dance recital, costumes and all
-Went on two family camping trips and all of the hiking that accompanied them
-Visited Sunriver, Oregon twice
-Started at your new outdoor preschool in the all outdoor section
-Learned how to ride your bike with training wheels
-Moved up to the big kid ballet class
-Saw the Great Solar Eclipse in Central Oregon
-Ski like a pro!
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| 5th birthday party with a few girlfriends: Princess Tea Party |
You are quite the songstress, making up tunes about everything both exciting and mundane that your brain thinks about. Every song has the same lilting tune but the topics vary. Sometimes you sing about your family, sometimes about the lunch you just didn't enjoy, sometimes about rules in our house or what you want to do instead of what mama told you we needed to accomplish first. Your dolls are often your best audience but sometimes you insist I give you my undivided attention.
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| Taking a car break to admire Mt. St. Helens |
The way that you play with your brother is amazing. He follows you everywhere and wants to do whatever you are doing. And 80% of the time you let him. He pretends with you, dresses up in princess dresses with you, you two take turns making each other food in the play kitchen, you build together, lay out your blankets and have picnics together, and whisper together in forts (when you decide to share). In the mornings he will often wake you up by accident (on purpose) and you two will play together peacefully for as long as it takes me to get out of bed and take a shower. Sometimes you'll let him sleep with you, though not too often because he talks and keeps you awake. Even when he is having the most difficult day with tantrums galore you can find ways to make him smile and distract him long after I've run out of ideas. You're the best at waking him up from his nap. And boy does he love and adore his big sister "Zoe Zoe". You did tell me a few weeks ago in tears after being a bit unkind to him and being sent to your room that being a big sister is really hard and it made me tear up because YES, yes it is. But we made a plan so that you know you can take a break from being a big sister when you need it and I think it helped for you to hear that both your Dad and I are big siblings and that we understand that it's hard.
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| Celebrating her special day at school |
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| Working on her lantern for the holiday party |
Embracing all outdoor preschool has been another of your accomplishments this year and I know you will enjoy the second half of the year as you have the first. You gush about your teachers and a few friends and just love every moment of the play you get out in nature twice a week. Even in the pouring, freezing rain. I'm so proud of you when you come home and can't get your breath because you have so much to tell me about school! You love to be the trail blazer, the first person in the line up the trail. You are good at chicken care though I think you enjoy whatever tasks are set up in the garden each day better. Sometimes it involves digging a big hole so that the rain can make a giant mud pit for the class to play in. Sometimes your teachers take out cans and who knows what else to make makeshift musical instruments. Sometimes you plant native plants in the garden. It is wonderful and I'm so glad we found this special school for you.
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| Nature Explorer! |
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| Bailey, Kennedy, and Zoe at their sleepover in the backyard this summer |
Imaginative play is your specialty. You tote your dolls up and down the stairs with such frequency that it's hard to determine which room any of them are in at any given time. You will imagine by yourself, with Oliver, or with friends. It is so fun to watch you play. You LOVE your friends Bailey and Kennedy and it is wonderful to have playdates now because you just trot off with them on your own and I know you're all safe and having fun.
We went through a rough patch a few months ago where your pouting face was seen way more than I would have liked to have seen it. You would huff and puff if you didn't get your way and looking in the rear view mirror to see your arms folded in a huff and your eyebrows burrowed in would make my blood boil. But I'm pleased to say you're beyond that and are more often helpful to me and your Dad and back to our happy little girl (except when you are frustrated...).
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| Watching the GREAT 2017 Solar Eclipse |
Bedtimes are still special. You still insist on a song (usually "Hush Little Baby" or, if Daddy's doing your bedtime, "Rapper's Delight") and then you like the "Return to Pooh Corner" soundtrack to play on your Alexa Dot until you fall asleep. We just finished reading "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" upon recommendation from another mom of a five year old and you LOVED it, begging me to read you another chapter after each one ends.
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| At her first Rainier's Game |
This week we attended your kindergarten open house. I can't even believe that in eight short months you are going to be going to Kindergarten. Nope. Your mama is going to be (and already has been) crying over this milestone for a while. You are ready though. I would let you go today if I had to knowing that you are eager to learn, an excellent student, and getting to be a better and more patient friend every day. :)
We all love you so much Zoë and are so proud of all the growing you've done these first five years. I can't wait to see what this next year brings to you!
She picked out a dress (Snow White, much to all of our
surprise) and then her fairy godmother, Letty, came and picked her up and led
her by the hand back to the salon. Over
the course of about 15 minutes she had her hair slicked into a high princess
bun, nails polished, blush, eye makeup and lipstick applied and a GENEROUS
dusting of Pixie Dust all over her hair and hands and feet. Letty announced that the Princess Zoë as Snow
White was appearing in the kingdom for the first time to the entire salon and
then revealed the makeover to Zoë in the magic mirror behind her. While Zoë said about two words the entire
time (in true Zoë stand-offish fashion) and Letty chatted her ear off, it was
very magical and cool to watch. After
the makeover, Zoë got a private photo session and then a special invitation to
the Royal Hall to skip the line and see Cinderella, Snow White and Ariel. She was in awe of the princesses and gave
Snow White the biggest hug of all (again, it was shocking). Oliver was a fan, but you would never know it
from looking at his pictures. J
