Morgan's 5th Birthday

Morgan's favorite number has been 5 for years.  Years!  It is magic to her.  Like pink, and glitter, and eating at restaurants.  Five.  And that's the birthday she celebrated this year.  It had to be special.  

She woke up and I made her crepes with sprinkles.  Then I let her just eat sprinkles.  

The first big thing she wanted to do for her big day was go to the library (I know!  She's smart too!) so I took her and Sophie to the Star library and she played with the subpar toys and confusing computer games, but she loved it.

Next we dropped Sophie off with Tom and I took her to Carl's Junior for lunch-slash-to-play-in-the-play-place.  She had a great time and played for about an hour.

After lunch we had the local cousins come over for some hot tub swimming.  

We got a babysitter for Sophie so Tom and I could take her to Texas Roadhouse for dinner.  I didn't get any pictures of this part but we had a yummy dinner and, most importantly, Grandpa, Grandma, Shyanne, and Emery surprised her there.  They came all the way from Utah!

That night we had cupcakes and ice cream. 

 It was a wonderful birthday, and just the beginning of her celebration.

Dear Morgan

Dear Morgan,

Happy 5th birthday, sweet girl.  I have to say that 4 has been the best so far.  You have grown into a loving, kind, caring little big girl and I am so proud of you.  

You do so many things that I love to watch.  You enjoy putting on makeup with me.  You even ask for mascara and I let you wear it.  You also put on tons of pink lip gloss, pink blush, and pink eye shadow.  

Sophie is starting to play with you and you make her laugh like no one else can.  She really looks up to her big sister.  You usually make sure she is included in your games and forts.  I love watching you with her.  She will always look up to you.

Your favorite Disney princess is Sleeping Beauty, although you were on an Elsa kick for a while when Frozen came out.  You like to play Barbies and you have almost all of the Barbie movies.  You ask me to play Barbies with you a lot and now you are starting to do their hair.  

Your favorite food is Macaroni and Cheese but you love to go to restaurants to eat.  Your favorite restaurant is Texas Roadhouse.  We went there for your birthday.  

You like helping me do chores or make food.  You’re such a good helper.  You are really good at cleaning the mirror and you like cleaning the toilet.  You also can make your bed all by yourself, although it takes a lot of prodding from me to get you to do it alone.  You stir and pour things when we are cooking.  You even know how to make Mac and Cheese by putting a bowl of macaroni and water in the microwave (with just a little help).  

We play a lot of games like Candy Land, Chutes and Ladders, Uno Moo, Hungry Hungry Hippos, Sorry, and sometimes Monopoly (we do a super fast version).  You also like to play a game that we have that is dice with pictures and we have to tell a story with the pictures that we roll.  It’s fun to see your mind work.  

Almost every night you want a story told to you before bed.  Daddy tells you stories about Morgan and the Candy Machine and I read you books or tell you the story of Morgan Pink Riding Hood.  You are also getting good at telling stories.  The other night you told us a story about a good little monster who brushed her teeth when her parents told her to but one day she didn’t so she had to go to the doctor and the magic was taken out of her heart.  Then she brushed her teeth like her mommy and daddy said and she was a good little monster again.  It was adorable.  

You are getting excited to start kindergarten in the fall.  You can read but you don’t think you can yet.  You’re reading books that we got from your preschool.  

Your best friend is Ruby Hart from church.  She is a little nervous to play at houses other than hers but you are always happy to go there to play.  

We spend a lot of time with Mari’s family so you get to play with Meg and Tanner often.  You really look up to Meg and always want to sit by her when we eat together.  

You are in a ballet class and you love it.  Your recital is coming up soon.  You are so excited, and so are daddy and I!  

You get an inquisitive look and we know when you are trying to figure something out.  You are so smart.  You really do figure things out.  

Morgan, I love you.  I love your hugs and kisses.  I love that you are sensitive to people’s feelings.  You never want to see me sad.  I love your blonde hair and blue eyes and red lips.  I love your little fingers.  I love that you love pink and makeup and all girlie things.  I love that you make friends easily and that you are nice.  I love you more than anything.  I love you most.

Mommy

PS  “I love you most” is a reference to the movie, Tangled, and we say it to each other all the time.  

Dear Sophie

Hi Soph.

You're almost 17 months old and nothing is more fitting that saying that you are a bundle of curiosity and entertainment.

You were such an easy baby.  Where Morgan was not very nice to other people when she was little, you were so happy to go to anyone.  And now you are still so happy, social, and likable -- albeit a little less easy because you are always on the go and would rather be walking or running than being held or in the stroller.

Your vocabulary is growing every day.  You say the names and sounds of lots of animals (doggie, kitty, horse, cow, sheep, elephant, etc) as well as their sign.  Baby Signing Time is one of your favorite shows so you have learned a lot of signs, starting with the show's theme song that you sing and sign.  You can tell us if you want water, a bottle, food, to go outside, night-night, momma, daddy, grandma, grandpa, books, and Barney (and lots of other things that I can't think of right now).

You love books and to be read to.  We have a book called Baby Boo that you like.  It was Morgan's when she was little and there is a certain page that says, "do you want to play?"  Morgan's answer was always "yes" and yours is always "no."  It's funny how you two are so different and such good friends.  Nobody can make you laugh like Morgan can.

 

You are a daring little girl.  You'll go down the big slides by yourself (usually on your tummy but sometimes on your bum).  You aren't afraid to get your face wet in the swimming pool.  Just now I watched you climb up the latter into the playhouse with a cup in one hand and a crayon in the other saying, "slide."

You absolutely love going outside.  Your morning routine lately is to wake up around 7:30, have a bottle while watching a show, then going outside to play -- all before Morgan is even awake!  Your favorite things to do in our backyard are go down the slide, play in the sand box, sit in the electric car, sit in the rocks on the side of the house, try to ride the scooter, and eat sand and sidewalk chalk.

You love to eat at the table like a big girl and I can get you to eat more there than in your high chair.  Your favorite foods (besides sand and sidewalk chalk) are eggs, meat, freeze-dried yogurt chips, Go-Gurt, and chocolate chips.  You love your milk (2%) and we make a lot of smoothies.  I also catch you drinking toilet water as often as someone leaves the door open.

  

We have been pretty good about keeping the bathroom doors shut and the toilet seats down but the other day someone forgot and I found you in the bathroom with your pajama shirt half in the toilet, toilet paper strung around the room, water on the floor, and a big bath-toy cup in your hand, full of toilet water.  You looked at me, took a sip, smiled, and said, "ah."  I couldn't help but laugh through my gags.

You are the most thankful person I know.  Every time someone gives you something or helps you do something you say thank you.  I really appreciate that.

You love to dance and march.  You especially like to dance on the coffee table.  When you march you say, "ma, ma, ma."

When you drink your bottle (and other times as well) you like to rub your belly button.  If you can't get to your belly button because of your clothes, you put your hand down your shirt and rub your nipples.  It cracks me up!

 

Dogs are your favorite.  You especially love Mari's dog, Daisy, or "Day-ee," as you call her.  You call other dogs Day-ee too.  

 You LOVE your Morgan!

You play well by yourself too.

Sophers, I love you more than you could ever imagine.  You are a little miracle in our family.  I wouldn't trade you for anything.  Now please stop drinking toilet water.

Love,

       Mommy