Dear Lexi,
One of our family’s favorite books is The Hungry Caterpillar. We love to read it and watch the caterpillar explore all the different foods, build a cocoon and morph into this beautiful butterfly. That book is a perfect metaphor for you over this last year.
Your shy, scared and reserved personality diminishes a little bit every month and you’re blossoming into this brave, friendly and adventurous little girl. It is so fun to help guide and encourage you through these milestones and watch you transform before my eyes.
In October, you were Star of the Week at School, and you colored this amazing poster, all about you, and I think it is pretty accurate.
Your big heart and nurturing personality couldn’t be any clearer in your relationship with your brother and sister. You adore them and they look up to you the way a mom could only dream about.
You are gentle and kind with Kate. You love to give her hugs and read books to her, make her laugh and generally make her happy. You beg to go see her the moment you hear her rustling in her crib.
William is your BEST friend. The two of you play together for hours everyday and are pretty much attached at the hip all day long. Rarely do you two argue. You have figured out how to play with each other and integrate each of your toys into whatever you are playing. You will be playing with your Hatchamals and he will be playing with his Transformers, but you’re always playing in the same scene or house (doll house, Micky garage, magnatiles creation) and each of your toys interact with each other.
While playing, you are definitely the ring leader and suggest where you are playing or what your characters are doing and 90% of the time William just follows your lead.
One thing we are working on is including your brother when others are around. When other kids are around, you have a tendency to ditch him for others or even play games where ‘he is the bad guy’ or just run away from him. I don’t think it is intentional and you’re not doing it to make him feel bad, I think you have such a strong desire to be liked and fit in, you’re willing to leave him out so others will like you. We spend a lot of time talking about what it feels like when others are running away from you or other friends leave you out and how that must feel to William when you do that to him. So far it hasn’t really sunk in yet as it happens a lot, but hopefully as you continue to grow and mature you’ll get it and start to stick up for him–or for other kids at school who may be getting picked on. This is by far my biggest worry for you as you get older. I worry that this desire to fit in is going to lead you down a bad path or get in the way of making decisions that are going to emphasize your strengths and get in the way of your happiness. I pray that Daddy and I and will be blessed with the right words and stories to help guide you on a path that is the best for you.
Another fairly surprising characteristic to emerge this year is your competitiveness. It feels like everything is a competition with you. ‘Want to race up the stairs?’ ‘Who can do it faster?’ and, when we complement William on something, you always follow-up with ‘Well I did XYZ?’ or ‘What about me?’
You are also quite the talker and can be bossy from time-to-time. It is rarely quite when you are around as you are always always talking about something (I blame your daddy on that one).
Activities
Last winter, you got a pair of ice skates for Christmas and spent a good chunk of time skating on the rink in the backyard.
Last winter and spring you took Swimming lessons and can legitimately swim. You love to swim underwater, but still have a hard time making it down to the bottom of the pool to reach diving sticks or rings
You completed your 2nd year of recreation dance and performed in another recital
This summer, you played on your first soccer team and really seemed to like it. You even scored a goal (1 of 3 kids on your team)
You also took gymnastics classes during the summer as you were begging to learn how to do a cart-wheel
School
You participated in your first Christmas program at pre-school.
Went on field trips to the Children’s museum and Como Zoo
Graduated from preschool
Then in September, you started kindergarten at St. Vincent’s. You made friends quickly, are learning to read and complain about how you don’t like Math. When you found out your teacher’s name, Mrs. Burke–you weren’t thrilled. You automatically envisioned her to be old, grouchy, with black hair and wrinkly hands (like Grandma T–as you described). She is the complete opposite and you adore her and she adores you too.
Trips
We took our first family vacation to Florida to visit Grammy and Papa. You were giddy with excitement to ride on an airplane for the first time. You loved seeing the ocean (or the Gulf) and splashing around in the waves and swimming everyday.
We went to camping to storybook island in South Dakota and you had so much fun exploring all of the different nursery rhymes
Of course there were several trips to the Bothwell cabin which you just adore and a week spent with the Sampson’s up north.
Then the big trip of a the year was a surprise trip to Disneyland in October. We had the BEST time and you loved the rides and meeting the princesses and characters and relished the magic that Disney brings.
Favorites:
- Reading & writing
- Anything arts and crafts related
- Legos–specifically Lego Friends (the toys, the books, the show)
- Hatchimals
- Dit-Dat (your giraffe)
- Pajamas
- Sweets/treats
- Rice, chicken wild rice soup, Avacado
- Watching YouTube
- Swimming, riding your bike, playing with other kids
- Being loud
- Doc McStuffins
Lexi, you are growing into this thoughtful, helpful heart-led little girl. You are imaginative, animated, nurturing, smart and beautiful in every way imaginable. I am so proud of you and honored to be your mom.
Happy 6 sweet girl!
Love,
Mama
Peanut Smiles 