To My Almost Five-Year-Old

Oh, sweet sweet Claire. You will be five years old tomorrow, and that is too much for me. Five years ago you made me a mommy for the very first time.

I never could have guessed what kind of joys and trials and frustrations and pure gifts the next five years would bring.

Every day I am thankful for you. Every day you make me smile.

You have such a generous heart. You always want to count your money in your purse and then proceed to remind me that you want to use it to buy for other people. Just in the past 2 days you have spent your own money to fill a shoe box for Operation Christmas Child and to buy a book for your cousin and for your sister. I hope you never lose your generous spirit.

You say such funny and sweet things. We had a Halloween party last Thursday morning, and the night before you were so excited at bedtime. I was afraid you would have trouble going to sleep. But Thursday morning when you got up, you said, "Guess how I went to sleep last night. I said to my body, 'There is no Halloween party.'"


You wrote this letter to our child that we sponsor through Compassion International:


Dear Meily,
How are you? I love you. I love to ride my bike. My mom is going to have a baby soon and I will have a brother. I would love to see you sometime. I love you as much as the sun.
Love,
Claire

You are emerging as quite the event planner (which you most certainly did NOT inherit from me). Sunday morning I had numerous people at church tell me that you had given them handmade invitations (unbeknownst to me) to a bike race that we are (apparently) hosting this Saturday. You even delegated certain people to bring specific snacks and beverages. Every time I turn around you are planning another event. (Like the play that is supposed to take place at Christmas with Uncle Bo!)

You still love books, and your most recent favorite is a biography of Helen Keller that we got from the library. You also love the Henry and Mudge series, the Poppleton series, and Mr. Putter and Tabby, all by Cynthia Rylant.

And speaking of reading, you are learning to read! You can decode many words now, and even though you get frustrated sometimes you are doing so well. You decided when you were ready to learn to read, and I'm so glad I took your cue because it has been so much fun to watch that skill develop in you.
 

Your favorite part of school is singing your history sentences each week from the Classical Conversations curriculum, and you are planning on performing these at Christmas for the whole family.

You are a nurturer. You are always trying to help care for the little ones at play dates and at the gym. You love playing basketball and tennis with your Daddy, and you are getting ready for your first season of Upward basketball. You love to help Daddy fix things. You ride your bike constantly these days. When you are not riding your bike, you are creating some sort of project with cardboard boxes, or setting up a "yard sale" on the front porch. Or just drawing/writing/coloring - you never get tired of making pictures and cards for people. You have a good sense of rhythm and pitch, not to mention some serious dance moves. Your ability to eat like a grown man has not diminished a bit. Every night when you go to bed, you ask "Mommy? What are we going to do tomorrow?"

I love your creativity, your curiosity, your sensitivity. I love your concern for others and your generous heart. I love that you are an old soul in a little body. I love that Averi Kate and Owen have you for a big sister. I love you, Claire Bear, and I can't wait to see what plans God has for you. Happy birthday, my first Little. I think five might just be my favorite year yet.