Happy Birthday Ellie!

Dear Ellie,

Today you are EIGHT! As I was looking back at pictures of you today it seems so long ago that you were a tiny baby, a chubby little toddler, or even a baby faced preschooler. When I look at you I just see my big girl. Oh how I miss those days when you were squishy! But I do love seeing how much you have grown and matured. I love that even though your appearance has changed your personality has stayed steady through the years. You are my quiet(er) child (quiet is a relative term). You tend to hold still more than your siblings. You get so much joy out of the little things in life. Things that seem inconsequential to me often mean the world to you and I try and look for those moments and take advantage of them. (For example they sing to you in Sunday School on your birthday and you were so excited all day yesterday because you knew they would sing to you today!) You don't have hoards of friends but the friends you do have are close friends and they are oh so special to you.

This past year was such a good year for you. You had another wonderful teacher in school. You have waited many years for it to be your turn to have Mrs. Estes and she didn't disappoint! You loved every minute of school and not only did you have a wonderful teacher but you also had wonderful friends in your class. This year you qualified for ALERT and we were all so excited for you. You have grown even more as a reader and your love for books makes my heart happy. You definitely get that from me and I hope you always find joy in books. Your teacher set some big goals for you with your reading this year and you crushed them! We were so proud of you for all the reading counts points you got (500!) but even more I loved seeing how hard you worked to meet a goal and how proud you were of accomplishing it.

Through the years I have worried about you finding your "thing". We tried dance and piano and you didn't love either one nor were you interested in sports. This year you did theater. Never ever would I have thought to put you in theater, after all you're my quiet kid who's content to chill in the background. But you did Dance Theater in 1st grade and you were a HOOT and so off to theater class you went. Ellie you have THRIVED in theater! I have absolutely loved seeing how excited you are to go to class every week and how excited you are to tell me everything that you did that day. You were crushed when I told you I didn't think we were going to do theater camp this summer (because after all you did theater all school year). You gave me the super sad Eeyore eyes along with the slumping shoulders so off to theater camp you are going tomorrow! I love that you have told everyone you've seen this weekend that you get to do theater camp this week. I am so looking forward to seeing you light up the stage this week and during the school year!

Today you mentioned that when you grow up you want to be a writer. I have heard you say this before and it makes me so happy. You are already such a good, descriptive writer and I love your way with words. I hope you remember that words can have big meanings and can make a big impact so choose your words wisely. Even if you end up deciding on another career path I hope you will find a way to share your words with your corner of the world because you have great thoughts in your head.

My sweet Ellie Belly, I hope you know how much I love you and how thankful I am that I get to be your mom!

Love,

Mom

PS. I also can't forget to mention that this year you FINALLY  learned to ride a bike after LOTS of threatening from me. And now you think it's fun....I TOLD YOU SO! :)

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