We have a 5 yr old?!

5 is such a huge milestone for both the child and the parent. Azure has been talking about going to school since she was 2! We've both been looking forward to her going to kindergarten. Me mostly because I envisioned her at a Spanish immersion school. Funny how plans change. We are staying in Savannah and there are no Spanish immersion schools here. There are actually only 3 good schools in this entire city. GA is one of the worst states for public schools. Sigh.

If we end up buying a house in a good school district then Azure will attend kindergarten in the Fall. If not, we're homeschooling- out of necessity. Hopefully only for kindergarten. We plan to apply to all the magnet schools for 1st grade.

Azure has been such a wonderful helper to me during this pregnancy. Some mornings I have laid in bed only getting up to dispose of the breakfast Charles made and brought to me in the toilet. Vince would wake up and insist on eating. Some days I just didn't have the strength to make him breakfast. I would ask Azure to pour him a bowl of cereal and she would. She even poured the milk! She would get him in his seat, put his bib on him, and snap on his tray. When he was done she would clean him off with wipes, take his bib off, unsnap his tray and then entertain him for me.

She is the sweetest! She has also said many times to me, "Mommy, I wish I could cook for you." And, "Mommy, I wish I could be big enough to wash the dishes for you." She also made Vince many PB sandwiches for lunch. I don't know what I would have done without her help.

Last week for Father's Day she sang, "I'm so glad when Daddy comes home" in Sacrament meeting. She was supposed to sing with 3 other girls but, they all had stage fright and didn't sing. So, it was a solo. And she did a wonderful job! I hope she stays confident in her vocal abilities.

Since the end of May she has been using her carseat as a booster with the lap belt instead of the harness.

She is reading up a storm now and can read the Level 3 books all on her own! We are doing a reading program through our local library where you track the hours you read to get prizes. She reads at least 15 mins a day on her own just flying through books. Her favorite was Frog and Toad All Year. I was just mesmerized listening to her read the entire book alone (it contains 4 or 5 stories within the book). She liked it so much that she read it from beginning to end without stopping. It took her about 30 mins. I am so impressed and proud!

I taught her how to subtract months ago but, we took a break from it and so she had forgotten. Once she relearned it (she resisted at first and insisted she couldn't do it) she was so pleased with herself that she did about 5 pages of subtraction problems in 2 days while I was napping. It is very fulfilling to see her mind working as she figures things out.

Birthday Girl

Last week she attended art camp and came back with some really great pieces of art that are currently taped to our wall in our dinning room. She says she wants to be an artist and go to art school. She does have real talent so we hope to encourage it and give her more opportunities like art camp and private lessons in the future.

She gets mad very easily so I am intentionally trying to not get mad so easily myself at her or at anything because clearly she has gotten this from me (and Charles ;) That will be a life-long endeavor. Wish us luck!

Her testimony of the gospel is growing and she has a real interest in our nightly family scripture study. She loves to sing Primary songs and seems to understand the principles they teach. After learning "Nephi's Courage" she commented on how she too, can be courageous like Nephi when she's scared. Sometimes she'll tell me about Joseph Smith's first vision or Moses crossing the Red Sea. I'll play devil's advocate sometimes and ask her how she knows those things happened.
"Well, I was in heaven and I saw it happen."
"That's true, but do you remember?"
"No."
"How do you know then?"
Pause. Thinking. "Because I feel it's true in my heart."
"Me too. I can feel it."

I can't believe 5 yrs ago Charles and I were just starting the journey of parenthood. It was rough. We have learned so much and know we have even more to learn. We're so grateful for our sweet Azure Marie. We need her just as much as she needs us. We love you, Cub!