Ellie Kate: 5

Maybe this will cut down on the confusion.

We've always told Ellie Kate,"When you're five you'll go to kindergarten."

Well, she's been in school for a few weeks now, but is just turning five today.

She was also confused by the fact that we celebrated her's and Emmett's birthdays this past weekend. I think she didn't know how to celebrate being five when she was still four.

We had a party at my parents' home. I walked into the den at about seven that morning and Ellie Kate was already up. She was sitting in the rocking chair. She asked me,"When are we going to get this party started?"

Anyway, now she is officially the big 0-5.

Last night before she went to bed, we prayed for one of her friends at school who "broke her eye." Then she expressed to me (almost in tears) just how badly she wanted to be a "bus rider" and not a "car rider". Big stuff.

Of course, one of her first questions this morning was,"When will I turn six?"

All I could think was,"Soon enough. Soon enough."

I did something this morning that I don't normally do. After her bath I blow dried her hair. I brushed it and dried it. I wanted to get all sentimental thinking about how bald that little punkin head used to be. My emotions were quickly averted as Ellie Kate made faces at herself in the mirror.

As I rocked Jack to sleep last night, I remembered when Ellie Kate was his size. Has it really been five years?

I've heard it said that with children the days are long, but the years are short. Oh how true! I'm thankful that Ellie Kate still wants me to rock her.

I tell ya, starting kindergarten has been hard. After taking her to school that first morning, Ross and I attended the 'Boo Hoo Breakfast' where I boohooed. I then took Emmett to his school. I came home and sat, rocking baby Jack. He and I had a nice conversation in which he agreed to remain a baby, indefinitely. That helped my feelings.

In the mornings when she's leaving, she says,"Bye Jack, my little carrot."

She recently got in trouble.

During revival we were getting ready to leave church and I couldn't find her. I walked to the back of the sanctuary and looked in the foyer. One of the doors was opened where people were walking out. All I could see was an arm extended with a little hand palm up. Then I noticed men digging in their pockets. Well come to find out Ellie Kate was taking up money from people as they left the church. She even told me later,"If you give me a dollar it'll be your lucky day." She came home with a five dollar bill and some change.

Ross and I told her that she was not to take up money at church. So you can imagine our surprise when recently we found her on a Sunday night at church collecting money as people left. A familiar discussion ensued as we talked about the fact that she was not to do this. Her response,"But it's for my money collection."

I think we'll play it safe and check her pockets every time we come home from church.

Oh how I often wish I knew just half of what Ellie Kate thinks she knows. She has always been a grown up in a little body. Being the big sister to two little boys only accentuates the entitlement of authority that she already feels.

Just the other night I heard Emmett crying. Ellie Kate came walking out of her room. I asked her what happened. She said that Emmett was being ugly while playing with her dollhouse so she hit him. I took her into her room so that I could mediate between the two parties. Emmett, crying, came and put his head on my lap. I talked to him about playing nice with his sister. Before I could address the sister, she turned to Emmett and said,"Now apologize to Sister." She went on to say,"If you apologize and keep your promise you can play, but if you don't keep your promise then I'm not gonna let you play with it (the dollhouse) nights or days."

Emmett, feeling the full weight of the consequences and to my surprise, murmured a "sawwee". Little Priss would have overlooked her own offense had I not stopped her and reminded her that I am the Mommy and she isn't supposed to hit anyone. She apologized to her brother shortly thereafter and all was right with the world for 13.5 seconds.

I have to say, she really does love her brothers and she mothers them to the best of her five year old ability.

So (as my mother laughs) I am getting a daily dose of what it's like to raise, well, myself.

D-r-a-m-a.

When she fell on the waterslide Saturday and cut her toe (it was pretty bad), she quickly decided that since she had "broke" her toe, her fellow classmates could get her a wheelchair and push her around. Thus far we have been able to avoid the wheelchair and managed with only a slight limp. She also told me that swinging in our backyard the other day was good excercise for her "broke" toe. I have reminded her daily about her bravery concerning her recent injury. She has proudly told me that she has indeed been impressed with said bravery.

She does currently end most sentences with,"Isn't that right, Mama." Ross and I think it's so cute that she wants my affirmation so often.

And one last thing, Ellie Kate thinks she speaks several different languages. This is especially true when she is taken to get a pedicure. She communicates with whoever is painting her toenails. She and I were having a pedicure recently and she said,"ChongChichiiahfdhdihdchong." I said,"What?" She quickly told me that she was not talking to me.

She has also approached people in restaurants and started speaking "their" language.

Offensive? Most likely.

She is a mess, but I wouldn't take anything in the world for that little girl.

And with that, I will leave you with a couple of recent Ellie Kate quotes:

"Shut up isn't a nice word for adults, for cats and dogs, or for small children."

"See this boo boo on my neck. I was trying to grow a hair there. It didn't come out. It made a little place. It wasn't up to me. It was up to my body."

Happy Birthday Ellie Kate! I love you!

You are my Priss-a-potamus!