Ellie at 11 Months

The next time I make a monthly post, you will be 1 year old!  I'm not ready for you to be a big girl yet!

This month you have discovered that you can talk on the phone too!  You love to hold the phone to your ear, and when we asked you to "call Chloe" (your friend), you like to show off your favorite trick.

You are teething like crazy!  Just today at the store you took a bite out of the macaroni and cheese box.  You have to put EVERYTHING in your mouth, and your brother and sister often forget to get their small things off the floor which gives Mommy and Daddy a heart attack at times.

You are Miss Social and love being out and about.  You like watching new people and exploring new places.  Your new thing is to scream at the top of your lungs to get everyone's attention.  You're starting to understand that you have to get loud sometimes to be heard in this family.

You have started standing up on your own.  We always clap when you stand up, so now you are trying to stand and clap at the same time which doesn't always seem to work out.  We are soaking up every second of this month before you turn one!

Happy 6th Birthday Hannah!

Dear Hannah,

How is it possible that you are already 6 years old?  This past year has been a year of change for you.  Ellie was born, we moved to a new house, and you started kindergarten at Mommy’s school.  We’re very excited to see what this year will bring for you now that things are slowing down around our house. 

Your dream of learning to read has finally come true.  With the help of your wonderful kindergarten teacher, you are able to read chapter books!  We could never have dreamed that you would be doing this so soon, but our hearts swell with pride when we put you to bed each night and watch you turn on your reading light so you can catch up in your book.  You have always loved books, but now that you are a reader it seems that you can’t get enough to read.  I know this summer will be filled with weekly trips to the library.  Not only do you read to yourself, you have been taking the time to read to Ben and Ellie.  It’s so special to watch you use your gift to entertain your brother and sister.

You have also become quite the writer.  After a guest reader came to your classroom and explained to the class that you too can write stories, you have decided that you want to be a famous author.  You write lots of stories about a mouse and her adventures.  I can tell that you use your real life adventures to inspire your writing!

You have spent a lot of time playing with the neighborhood kids.  You love to be outside and hanging out with the older crew.  You always remember to include your brother and you make sure that he is following the rules.  You have also started getting into sports this year.  You played on the school basketball team and you were the goalie on the soccer team. 

Hannah we wake up every day knowing how blessed we are to have a daughter like you.  You have been the light of our lives for the past 6 years, and we fall in love with you more and more every single day.  Happy Birthday Goose!

Love,

Mommy and Daddy