I'll start with the six year old stage since it is her birthday today =)
Now... there may be some similarities in all six year olds, but I'll dedicate this post to what I love about my particular six year old...
Great Conversations...
First of all, I've got a talker! Now, she was very talkative at a very young age and had quite a vocabulary before she even turned one. However, at six she is much more expressive about her feelings and her insights on all situations have taken on a new level of sophistication. I also love the wisdom she imparts. Just the other day, I was making some comment on how tired I am because my newborn is waking me up pretty much every 1-2 hours at night. "Well, mom, " she says with her hands on her hips. "When I'm in school and the other two little ones are napping, you should go to your room and take a nap!" Yes, I should!
Now, sometimes her chatter can get a bit exasperating... especially when it is during meal time and she is distracting the other kids from eating. However, I love her energy and enthusiasm. I love how her mind will go from topic to topic and she'll have boundless things to say about each and every topic. I love how she can give me a detailed almost hour by hour description of everything that went on at school that day. Her response is so different from my husband's typical guy response of "good" when I ask how his day went!
Physically More Independent...
My six year old is also now at a stage where she can do most things by herself. Most mornings, she will get herself dressed and brush her own teeth. Little things like this add up and can be physically draining especially with so many little ones, so it is huge that my oldest can do this for herself. In fact, she can even help her younger sister get dressed and a few times I've seen her help with teeth brushing. So my oldest is definitely at a stage now where she can actually be helpful with her brothers and sister... even if it is just entertaining them. "I'm in training to be a babysitter," she said to me a couple of weeks ago. With so many little siblings, she certainly is!
Fills My Emotional Cup...
Finally, my dear little girl is so sensitive and has such a tender heart. On one hand, she is easily hurt and can become quite emotional at a drop of a hat. At the same time, she has keen emotional insight and can often sense when I'm upset or hurt and offer a hug, a smile, an encouraging word that would warm my heart. She cares deeply and loves with passion. She thrives on verbal affirmation and gets ecstatic when receiving gifts. We've had many heart to heart conversations and I'm sure there will be many more to come. I love her innocent steadfast devotion to me and pray our relational bond will only grow stronger as the years go by and she is influenced more by her peers.
I love you so much, S. It is hard to believe what a beautiful and amazing girl you are growing to be and I'm excited to share more precious moments with you!
