6 year old Natalia

My little girlie isn't so little anymore, I think she is officially a big girl.  Turning six and the end of Kindergarten upon us and I feel like it's a turning point... Sad.  I'm not sure I've said it enough (ha ha ha)  I'M NOT READY!!  Time is going so fast and I just can't seem to pause it.

We made "rainbow dash" cupcakes for her party.  It was a tie dye cake kit we found at the grocery store and we adapted it to cupcakes.  They turned out pretty awesome, even if they were a lot of work. ;) She and I had a ton of fun making them though! I kept getting a little teary eyed thinking of our six years together as mommy/daughter and how fast it's going.  

Her usual birthday breakfast request was cinnamon rolls, and then we did gifts.  I knew I wanted to find her an art desk, and so I asked Steph and John to keep a look out for one while they were out thrift store shopping.  Boy did they come through, they found this awesome one for only $2!! I scrubbed at it with a Mr. Clean sponge and some Clorox wipes and it was good as new... and she LOVES it.  Along with her maxi skirt, that she's been wanting a long skirt like mommy's, a Princess Celestia tank that I ironed a decal onto the tank the night before, a book, and Pony jammie dress... I'd say she was pretty happy with her presents from us.  Then it was off to school for her.  I let her choose our mode of transportation.  We've been trying to walk or bike to school lately with the warm weather, so she chose the bike/trailer.

When I approached her about her birthday party this year, I asked if she wanted to have a party with her classmates/friends at a location, or home or with cousins.... etc.  This cutie's best friends are her cousins and she wanted another family party at home.  I won't say no to that!  So we ordered giant Subway sandwiches (her dinner request) and did our usual fun with the cousins.  It was a huge hit and she was spoiled as usual.

This beautiful, smart, fun, artistic, silly, sweet, girl is six.  Can you believe it?  I know I can't.  She is seriously such a great kid.  I know sometimes she can drive me batty, but really she is such a good girl.  She can be mean to her sister, but she can seriously be the sweetest big sister you've ever seen.  She is quick to let Lydia have her way and give Lydia whatever it is she wants.  They play so well together 99% of the time, and it's fun to see their relationship grow.  I know it's too much to ask that they always get along this well, but I can always hope!

Natalia is reading!!  I still can't get over it.  I remember learning to read from my dad the summer before first grade and that was early.  Now they teach a lot of it in Kindergarten and they depend a lot on the parents to work with them at home.  I loved working with her here at home.  They sent home a flyer that if they read 600 minutes in a month then they could earn a pass to Roaring Springs.  So Charlie and I worked super hard with her and got it done.  Now this little girl reads like nobodies business.  Not just site words, but she's awesome about sounding out words she doesn't know.  She reads to Lydia all the time.  Her scores at school are above grade level for reading!  Smarty pants!

I posted this gem on Instagram.  I had just put Quinton down for a nap and when I came out of his room I found her in her room like this.  I sat and listened to her for a while (before running to get my phone) she was just sitting their reading her new books to herself. PROUD

She loves; My Little Pony (Princess Twilight Sparkle and Princess Celestia especially), playing dress up, coloring/drawing/painting, white shells, red peppers, root beer, playing outside, playing with cousins, slumber parties in the toy room (with grandma or us), chips with Grandma's salsa, McDonalds cheeseburgers, ice cream (especially USwirl) and going to the movies.

She's always up for going and doing something fun.  Anything to get her out of the house she loves it, grocery shopping, library, zoo, park, play dates with the cousins, I feel bad when we have down days because I need them to get caught up on laundry or house work, but she's a trooper.

With the end of kindergarten came her program.  The kiddos did so great and sung lots of fun songs. Natalia got to come forward and hold up a big bear picture during one of the songs.  At the end  they sang a song about saying goodbye to kindergarten and hello first grade.... oh my tears.  I did everything I could to not break down bawling at that moment.  Yikes.

  Earlier that morning little miss also got her Citizenship award during the special third trimester awards ceremony.  She was a little hesitant to go up front and get her award, but she did it.  I was seriously so proud of her.  She really is an awesome kid, and to have others recognize her awesomeness just makes me a proud proud mama.

They also did a field day at her school for the end of the year.  She said her favorite part was the potato sack race and of course when they got to eat the Otter pops.  ha ha ha.  Thankfully another mama sent me some pictures of her from their day and I got to see my cutie in action.

We started the questionnaire last year, and it was fun to see the changes in her answers in just one year.  And of course some stayed the same!
1. What is your favorite color? Green

2. What is your favorite toy? all of them

3. What is your favorite fruit? watermelon and honey dew

4. What is your favorite TV show? johnny test

5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? white shells

6. What is your favorite outfit? pony jammie dress

7. What is your favorite game? hide and seek

8. What is your favorite snack? chips

9. What is your favorite animal? i dont know

10. What is your favorite song? Rudolph

11. What is your favorite book? Princess Adventures

12. Who is your best friend? Morgan- a cute little classmate at school

13. What is your favorite sport? gymnastics- two classes in and she is LOVING this summer class.

14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? play with daddy

15. What is your favorite drink? special juice- the punch we make for family get togethers/parties.

16. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas

17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Mulan and Merida

18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Cinnamon Rolls

19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Subway sandwich

20. What do you want to be when you grow up? Artist- this is a new answer, but a much more fitting one.  And we like to show her all the options available.  Like the artists that work for Disney to make the movie, or the other day she was drawing pictures for a book she wanted to make. I told her she could be an illustrator some day.

21. What makes you feel sad? Mommy yelling at me- again I promise I'm not a yeller!  I might raise my voice from time to time but I try really hard to not do it.

22. What makes you feel happy? Playing with my mommy

23. What is your favorite thing to do with Mom or Dad? play outside

24. Name one thing you do really well? School

25. What do you wish for? a princess celestia

I know I said that the birthday photo shoots would end as they started school and got school pictures each year.  But has her birthday got closer and I got a little more sad about how fast time is going, I started to realize the one thing that always made me happy and I looked forward to where those birthday sessions.  So I went ahead and scheduled hers.  I figure one of these years she'll all the sudden hate it and tell me to stop and that's when we'll stop.  (same for the other two)  Anyway, we had fun and she has so much energy.  Such a cute goofball.  Here is our sneak peak:

Her grass mustache

This was one of those moments of her trying not to smile and Jessica our photographer kept saying, "don't you dare smile" and so this is the result ha ha.  

Happy 6th Birthday big girl!!

LOVE YOU TO THE 

MOON AND BACK!