Anna

On Friday, Anna had her 5 year doctor appointment.  She passed the big tests and didn't even shed a tear when it came time for the shots.  We've talked about the shots for a while, even resorting to pinching each other to practice how it will feel when we get a shot.  She sat on the table, hugged by mom, took her shots and then got her FIVE pieces of bubble gum.  

Here she is in all her cuteness at the doctor...this was before the shots...she knew they were coming but still had a smile on her face.  

This girl has grown up so fast and we are amazed at her awesomeness.  

Some things that impress us daily:  

• She's cruising around on an 18" bike with no training wheels.  
• While she is often shy with new people, she's very social and kind with any neighborhood kids, always curious to meet anyone she sees playing at the playground or in a yard near ours.  
• She's very careful and watchful with her sister.  She holds her hand when they walk to get the mail, she pushes her on her swing, she reminds her that she needs a helmet to ride on her scooter.  She's always looking out for Claire. 
• Her bedtime has moved to 8:00.  This is a huge deal in her world and ours.  She loves to get to stay up an extra hour with mom and dad.  
• This summer she gets to move up to the Rollers in her gymnastics class.  She's been practicing her cartwheels so she's excited to get back to gymnastics with Mrs. H.  
• She's tall, and can now use the sinks without a stool, reach the top shelf in the living room, and she muscles herself up to sit on the counter in the kitchen.  
• She can sit and put together puzzles all day long.  She's getting pretty quick with her 100 piece puzzles, sometimes doing 2 after school before supper.  
• She's working on jumping rope--she can jump one time so far, and then has to wind up again.  
• She wants to be a teacher at her current pre-school when she grows up...along with a princess.  
• She loves to practice reading sight words.  She begs to do her flashcards regularly.  
• She has upgraded from being on silverware duty for the dishwasher to being on Tupperware/plastics duty.  Apparently this is a much better assignment.  Claire's on silverware duty now.  
• She loves numbers and asking math questions.  She loves to teach Claire how to count to 10 and how to hold up the right fingers.  
• She can get pretty bossy, but is starting to realize you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.  
• She can cross the streets in our neighborhood by herself.  She rides her bike in the street in front of our house and is good about looking for cars.  She even has walked to her friend Izzy's house (about 4 houses down) by herself and back....of course I'm outside keeping my eye on the adventure from afar.  

She's five.  

While she didn't have any tears at doctor, that's not to say that nobody had any.  It's crazy to think she's going to be in a real school next year, with teachers and lockers and buses to ride.  It's exciting to her, but overwhelming to her mama.  She can't possibly be old enough...