Happy Birthday, Greta!

Happy Birthday, Greta Corleen Merrill! You are now a sweet, sentimental, sensational, super six year old!!  This past year was full of "Wow, has she grown up!" moments for your Daddy and me.  Just the other night, you came downstairs after I had tucked you in and kissed you good night.  When I looked at you by the banister with my eyebrows raised, you said, "I forgot Jinxie," trotted over to the chair where you'd left your lovey cat, scooped it up, and scooted back up the stairs without a backwards glance.  Your daddy and I waited for you to call out to be tucked in again, and you didn't.  We looked at each other, and both thought, "And so it begins..."  Indeed it has.  Our little princess, peanut, baby girl isn't so little any more.

Of course we knew this would be a big year of growth.  You're in elementary school now, which caused near-instant maturity.  I'm pleased to say that you are thriving in kindergarten.  According to your teacher, you are a pleasure to teach, a terrific student, and a genuinely nice, well-mannered young lady.  I couldn't agree more.  It has been exciting to share in your discoveries, like how letters make words, how math works, where countries are in the world.  I am so happy to see how much you enjoy writing, and expect that you'll have daddy's gift of prose as you grow.

Outside of school, we don't have a lot of time for extracurriculars, but you recently started a ballet class, which you love.  Miss Elaine makes dancing fun, and has helped you truly grow into your long arms and legs.  I love how excited you are to put on your slippers and leotard and step up to the barre.  You've told me you want to grow up to be a dancer, or a teacher, or maybe a dance teacher.  Looks like you are on your way!

In addition to following your father in the writing department, this year I've seen a lot of your grandparent's traits in you.  You seem to have Grandpa Jerry's knack for art.  Whether coloring or drawing, sculpting or painting, you love the creative process.  You've also turned to art to reflect what you love; when Jinx died, you drew and colored dozens of pictures of him and the Rainbow Bridge.  You excel at capturing a moment, sketching an aquarium you see in the waiting room while are at the dentist, or getting ice cream with your dad at the mall. 

You also have Grandma Vickie's love of gardening and baking.  You are very proud of your flower garden (although you really do need to be better about weeding it!), as we've planted hundreds of bulbs in the past year.  And you know that no matter what you're baking, you have to include the most important ingredient: love (which can make even an abundance of cinnamon tolerable).

You've got Grandma Pat's penchant for games.  You are competitive, but are learning to be a good sport, win or lose. You love to play Trouble, Busytown, and the Ladybug Game, along with many others.

And like Grandpa Larry and Grandma Pat, you enjoy curling up with a good book.  You are doing a great job developing your reading skills, although you still like to curl up and have me read you a bedtime story.  You long to read chapter books (this year you were very excited to finish listening to the Children's Bible Grandpa Jerry gave you), so I'm sure with practice this summer we'll make progress toward that goal.

One grandparent trait I'm glad to see you've inherited is patience.  You've needed it this past year in light of your brother and his efforts to push your buttons.  Don't get me wrong, Lincoln truly loves you.  He seeks your approval, wants to play with you, and still thinks if things don't work out with Charlotte, he can marry you.  But he also loves to torment you.  Whether it is dangling your beloved Lambie over a garbage can or scribbling on a picture you've drawn, he tries very hard to provoke you.  I'm so proud of how you've handled his three-year-old antics and am also glad you share a bona fide friendship with him.

Speaking of love and friendship, you are still a huge fan of fairies and fairy tales, princesses and happily-ever-afters.  You devise intricate role plays for Lincoln and me, and we have lots of fun conducting fairy rescues or hiding from mean witches.  You woke up at 5 in the morning to watch Prince William marry Kate Middleton, and didn't budge until we had to dash out the door for school.  From the amazing hats to the shiny cars, the bridal party to the choir music, the carriages and horses to the royal waves and balcony kiss -- it was so much fun to watch the marriage with you and experience the magic through your eyes.

All in all, it's been another great year.  I love you, sweet pea, and it's a real treat to be your mom.  I look forward to more reading, writing, gaming, gardening, baking, playing, drawing, and dancing while you are six.  Let's get started!