5 Years Old!

Chandra is 5 years old now!  I am so grateful to have her in our family.  She has so many giggles, brings so many smiles to our faces and flower bouquets to our kitchen table. She has a vivid imagination and often pretends to be a doggy or a frog or a wilderness survivor.  She throws regular birthday parties for her stuffed animals. She loves snuggles and kind voices and gently reminds our family with her own made up hand motion to use kind voices even when we're frustrated. 

She is so innocent and full of wonder.  She sees beauty everywhere, in sparkly legos, sequins on the ground, bugs, flowers, the way sunshine falls.  She is always saying, "Mom, look at...." and shows me some new wonder she has discovered. She loves snuggling and being warm, and is so happy laying on the concrete to soak up the warmth and sun, being blow dried, wrapped in a blanket, or having a "toasty-warm shower." 

It's so interesting how her personality has changed.  She was such a spit fire when she was little. She is still full of determination and stubborness, but she is also sensitive, sweet and in some ways quiet.  She doesn't have to be the center of attention. She often becomes engrossed in an activity like coloring, building with k'nex, or playing with her animals, and will stay at it for hours.  She is delighted when she gets to go on mom dates...even if it's just a trip to the store. Girl's nights are one of her favorite events. We just paint toe nails, have dance parties, read stories and snuggle, but they are highlights for her. 

Pretending to be a doggy "Clinkly" and showing off her own k'nex creations...wearing her comfy winter coat.  She wore this coat on top of sweats until it was 70 degrees outside.  

For her birthday Chandra wanted "a chef party." When I asked her about it she said shewanted to make her own cake with me and just have a family party.  She picked out the design, the colors, the flavors and then helped or directed me from start to finish to make her little owl cake.   

Grandma Lisa, Sarah, Dallin and Tyson came to help celebrate part of Chandra's birthday. She loves her Grandma Lisa and aunts and uncles!

For her birthday she got a princess sleeping bag, snuggly princess pajamas, a pink umbrella and another batch of caterpillars that she could watch grow and hatch into butterflies.  She also got a "grown-up coloring book" with markers that she spends hours coloring.  She was so excited to sleep on the floor in her new sleeping bag that she kept asking, "is it night yet?" Happy Birthday Chandra!! We love you!