Dear Princess Peach,
I can’t believe that you are 5 years old today! A whole hand of fingers. It feels like you were just a baby yet at other times it feels like you’ve been a big kid for so long.
You are quite the spirited girl who loves to talk. Your talking could be an Olympic sport and if it was you would easily win a Gold medal. You have amazing energy and from the minute you open your eyes in the morning until we tell you stop talking at bedtime you are constantly going! I have no idea where you get all of this energy from but it’s amazing and I hope you’ll always have this must gusto for life and everything and everyone around you!
This year has been one of big changes, big accomplishments and some firsts as well. You started JK this year which is huge in itself. When I look back at your first day picture, you look like a little baby. And I totally think you were in a way. I thought your transition to JK from daycare would be smooth and seamless, yet it was the complete opposite. I thought because you had such an easy time going to daycare you would have no issues with drop-offs for Kindergarten. I soon came to realize that even though we were use to drop-offs the environment was new, there were no familiar faces and you had new teachers and new routines. I dreaded taking you to kindergarten for the first 6 weeks of school. You would cry, hang off of me and sometimes try to run away. Once you became familiar with the school, you started to make friends and got comfortable with your teachers and your classroom routine, you were so excited to go to school!
You are learning to read and recognize words. I love to see how proud you are when you read us a book or finds words you know how to read when we are out and about! You also like to make up stories and draw pictures to go along with them. You love to draw butterflies just like I did when I was a kid. You still have a love of art and you can stay focused on creating a special picture for a long time!
Your favourite colour is “rainbow” and you believe that the more sparkles the better. You have recently become obsessed with Emoji’s especially rainbow poo Emoji’s. You love your hair in a messy bun, a braid or a high pony.
This year you really developed your love of dance. You have always loved to dance but you have started dancing all the time! I think when you go to sleep is the only time that you stop dancing and moving. You love making up your own dances with some awesome moves. Sometimes your moves are a little inappropriate for a little kid and may resemble the pole dancer/stripper moves. We are convinced that is what you did in your previous life! This past year you took tap and ballet class and you loved both of them.
You always make your daddy and I proud but on two occasions this year we were extra proud. The first was when you decided to donate your hair to Pantene Beautiful Lengths to be made into a wig for a patient with cancer. I was bursting with pride when you, at just over 4 years old, decided to do that. Seeing me wear a wig I think you understood the importance of giving back. You have since mentioned to me that you would like to do it again. I couldn’t be more proud. The second occasion was at the end of the school year when you received an additional award from your teachers. Each child is to receive one award throughout the year at a school assembly. You received yours in October but at pick up one day in June your teacher pulled me aside to say that she never gives two awards but really feels that you exemplify “balance” and she feels that you deserve two. I have worked really hard to help mold you into a good person and when you received that award I felt like even though you are little, I’ve created a pretty good human and that makes me so proud of you!
When I was diagnosed with cancer last year, I was so worried about you. I was worried that me having cancer would totally screw you up because you were old enough to remember. But you don’t seem to remember. You know I was sick but you don’t seem to remember a lot of what happened to me. One morning as we were getting ready for school, you turned to me and asked me “why don’t you go to work anyone?” When I asked you if you remembered why you say “No”. I quickly said that it was because I was sick and then off we were on our way to school.
You are the BEST big sister. Little Dude is SO lucky to have someone as special as you as his big sister. You love him and care about him so much! When you go anywhere without your brother, you always ask (or take) to get something for your brother. Whether its a loot bag, a colouring book or cookie, it doesn’t really matter. All that matter’s is that he’s always on your mind and you always want to make him happy. You two love doing everything together. I absolutely love watching you two play together.
You are a very picky eater. You declared yourself a vegetarian last year except chicken fingers and fish sticks. Those don’t count for you! You love fruits and vegetables, dairy products and breads/pastas. You have quite the sweet tooth! wow! You could eat ice cream daily maybe even multiple times a day if I let you.
This year instead of a birthday party, you and me are off to NYC on Monday to celebrate life! We are meeting my friend Sophie with her kids and we will celebrate being here, being alive and being together. You are so excited to go to NYC. We’ve been reading a book about it and you are most excited to see the New York City Library! It is so sweet to see how excited you about this trip. I hope it meets all of your expectations.
I love you so much Princess Peach. 5 years ago you made me a mother and you are one of the best things that has ever happened to me. You make me proud daily and I am so lucky to be your mom.
Love you to the moon and back again.
Love, Mommy
Yeah, can’t wait to celebrate your birthday!!!!