Natalia is 5!!!!!

Oh Natalia.

How has it been five years already???

Time is just flying by, and I'm so sad that our time together is going so quickly.  It's a mixed feeling though because I'm also excited to watch you grow and see who you become.  

You are the best big sister and such a great help to me.  This transition with adding Quinton to our family went ten times better than when Lydia was born.  You are so obviously in love with your little brother and are so good to mommy when it comes to helping me with him.  You and Lydia like to bicker a lot, but are such good playmates.

You are insanely stubborn and opinionated, and sometimes can't be swayed to believe what mommy and daddy are saying.  But, I think growing up it'll become a great personality trait... especially when it comes to peer pressure and doing things you don't want to do.  Stay strong my princess!

You are so wonderfully creative.  You love going into my sewing room and getting into my old scrapbooking stuff to make cards and pictures.  You love to color/paint/draw.  Anything creative you love to do.

You love to play dress up and often change into multiple dress up outfits out of the toy room throughout the day.  It's fun to see what your imagination creates.  A favorite of mine is the princess super hero:

 You love to go to Starbucks for coffee (vanilla milk for you girls/coffee for mommy) Sonic for slushees, or Jamba for Smoothies.

You love to sing and dance.  You are always singing in the car to songs you know, or making up your own songs.  Some favorite music videos right now are:
Frozen: Let it Go
Katy Perry: Friday Night, Dark Horse, Hot N Cold, Roar
Pink: "Uh oh song"
What Does the Fox Say
Oopa Gangham Style

You did your first year of dance this year. 

A side by side of the first and last day of dance for this year.  You weren't too sure about continuing but after watching the big girls dance at recital you've decided to do it again in the fall.  We went and watched Cypress's dance recital and you were on your knees in your seat the entire time watching girls dance.  

You love to pick out your own clothing (I know I've said this one before) but you have a funny point of view as to why things match.  Here are just a couple of examples of some awesome outfits.  Lydia loves to pose with you. 

This time you put on this outfit insisting it matched (despite my protests that it didn't) Looked down, shrugged your shoulders and said, "hmmm I look pretty" 

Birthday girl breakfast!  You insisted on cinnamon rolls again.  I found this awesome Jasmine dress up outfit on Zulilly a couple of months ago and have been saving it knowing you'd love it. 

Grandma Dinorah took you to Build A Bear and you did Princess Twilight Sparkle as your gift from her. You loved every minute of it! 

The week leading up to your birthday you had your pretend birthday at preschool/your last day of preschool, and then your preschool party at the park.  We were super busy!  You loved going to preschool so much and I'm so excited for you to start Kindergarten.  Ms Janis is such an awesome teacher, we will miss her this next year until it's time to send Lydia to her.  You totally recognize letters and sounds now, and I'm hoping with that knowledge we might be able to start working on reading this summer.  You love to ask us how to spell words and write them out on your various papers and cards you're creating.

Picnic at the park

You and Jude on your very first day two years ago and your last day.  So sad you guys aren't going to the same school!  You two still love each other and are the best of friends... but you do tell me less and less often that you are going to marry him ha ha ha.

I let you choose whatever you wanted for your pretend birthday at school and you chose a dress up dress to wear. 

First and last day of school! 

We found someone to do her birthday pictures and I am very happy with the sneak peak she posted!  Can't wait to see the rest!!  Big bonus?  She was cheaper than what I've found and my cousin (although we still miss Chelsea!!)  and she gives you a disc to print what you want and where you want!

You insisted on a Cinderella party this year.  I didn't have the energy to sew a dress this time around so I picked out three of my favorites on Etsy and let you pick your favorite of those three.  It was super adorable!!  Your party was a big hit and tons of fun.  I found a bunch of cute Cinderella decorations online and did my usual over the top decorating... although I think with some more sleep and energy I might have gone even more overboard ha ha ha.  I was prepping food up until the last minute before everyone showed up, so I totally spaced getting good pictures of all the decor... and didn't realize it until I'd taken almost everything down.  I was sooo bummed!!! Our family was super generous and spoiled Natalia with some great gifts.  Some of our favorites where the Tinker Toys from the Moores and the Ballerina Princess dolls from the Huberts.  We played pin the slipper on Cinderella (Adam won but he also cheated) and then had all the cousins play in the sprinklers outside!  (I'll get around to posting those pictures on Facebook here soon, so use the link to see).  

You are still content with a family only party, good thing your cousins are some of your best friends or you might have started to insist on friends coming to your party ha ha ha!  This of course is going to change once you start school I'm sure. It was a great night and you really seemed to enjoy your birthday!

We haven't been doing the questionnaire thing, but thought now that she's old enough to answer the questions I thought it would be fun to start: 
1. What is your favorite color? 
Pink, and Purple, and Green, and Pink
2. What is your favorite toy?
Princess Twilight Sparkle from Build a Bear
3. What is your favorite fruit?
Watermelon
4. What is your favorite TV show?
Little Thunder (her name for Yukari)
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? 
Hotdogs
6. What is your favorite outfit?
Jammies
7. What is your favorite game? 
Hide and seek
8. What is your favorite snack?
Fruit snacks
9. What is your favorite animal?
Giraffes
10. What is your favorite song?
Katy Perry "when your hot and your cold"
11. What is your favorite book? 
Princess Adventure Stories
12. Who is your best friend?
Jude
13. What is your favorite sport?
Dance
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside?
Jump on the Trampoline
15. What is your favorite drink?
Orange Juice and Root Beer
16. What is your favorite holiday?
Christmas
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night?
Yogurt Milk
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?
Cinnamon Rolls
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? 
Sandwiches (we compromised with pulled pork sandwiches)
20. What do you want to be when you grow up?
Astronaut (no idea where that came from!!)
21. What makes you feel sad? 
When people yell at me (I swear we aren't yellers, she just doesn't like to get in trouble)
22. What makes you feel happy?
When people love me
23. What is your favorite thing to do with Mom or Dad?
Make projects
24. Name one thing you do really well?
Preschool
25. What do you wish for?
Toys!


Oh my snuggle bug... we don't get to snuggle that often anymore but you will forever and always be my snugglebug.  You are so grown up now, five seems like such a big number!!  I'm not quite ready for you to start school and be gone everyday, but know you will absolutely love it.  Thank you for making me a mommy five years ago.  Thank you for teaching me everyday to have patience and to be the best mommy I can possibly be.

LOVE YOU TO THE MOON AND BACK!!!