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SIX

Dearest Claire,
Six years old. You are six today. I joke that you are six going on sixty, but I secretly hope for time to suddenly stop as it is certainly passing way too quickly. I suppose my plea is rather ironic as six years ago I was pleaing for you to get out of my tummy and now I want nothing more than to keep you from growing up.

You are an amazing little girl. You are an avid reader, reading pretty much anything and everything you can get your hands on. Everyone comments on how intelligent you are. You love to share the information you've learned--Monarch butterflies die after they lay their eggs, your foot is the same length as the distance between your wrist and elbow, hummingbirds have a very long beak so they can more easily drink the nectar from flowers, etc. You know ALOT.

You're favorite series are: Magic Treehouse, Junie B Jones, Cam Jansen, A to Z Mysteries and most recently, the 2013 Animal Almanac.

You love to do things very well and are quite a perfectionist. It results in episodes of frustration, but you tend to be persistent, eventually mastering what you put your mind to.

You love to do art projects, whether creating your own, completing something I've suggested or replicating something you've seen.

You are a wonderful sister to Mya. You two are the best of friends and the worst of enemies. You are a great manipulator. This works to your advantage unless Daddy and I are within ears reach. :) Just wait until Mya gets a bit older, then we'll see how who's boss. Thankfully, you are still friends the majority of the time. You play babies, make forts, play doctor, school, ride bikes, put on plays/performances, and jump on the trampoline. This has been a great summer for building your relationship.

Claire, Daddy and I go back and forth about activities. We want to expose you to different options without pressure. Swimming is our non-negotiable activity as it is a life skill/necessity. Thankfully, you love it and are doing great. In fact, you skipped a level and will now be in Learn To Swim 2, which is held in the lap pool. I would be totally okay if you decided to swim competitively. I loved swimming as a kiddo although I never had the option of a swim team. We've also signed you up for soccer this fall and will try to get you into gymnastics. Every activity/sport is competitive. There are so many kids wanting to sign up that you truly have to be online right when registration opens. We'll see how it goes.

We are so proud of you, Claire. You are the brightest, kindest, sweetest little girl. You are wise beyond your years, but still so innocent. I want nothing than to savor every moment as you have grown so much. You are such a gift to our family. We are proud beyond any words can express. You fill our hearts with such love, Claire. Our life is so full because we have you as our daughter. We love you. We can't wait to walk another year alongside you, but let's go slowly ;)

As we embark on the next year together, we pray that you don't lose your innocence. We hope you continue to enjoy simple pleasures such as catching fireflies on a dark summer night. We hope you never lose the desire to learn or bury your nose in a book. We pray you continue to be curious, ask a million questions, and push us to learn. We pray you don't lose your outgoingness that is coupled with independence. You love to be around others, but also enjoy quiet moments alone--dancing on the street, sitting in your room reading or practicing your cartwheels. We pray you always do what is right even when there may be easier options. And we pray that you continue to show love and compassion to everyone around you as everyone needs a friend.

We love you, Clairebear.

Love,
Momma & Daddy

Comments

Anonymous said…
Kara,
My goodness what a writer you are! I used to love receiving your letters in the mail. What a gift you possess. So jealous! Anyway, Olivia read this post and said, "Boy mom, Claire is a lot like me."
Love ya
L

See you all in a week!
Kara said…
Ha! I was just telling Jessica how similar I thought Olivia and Claire are. Ava and Mya are alot the same as well. It is strange!

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