5 Alive!

Oh gosh - Emily is 5 years old (and two days as I write this). I was helping a friend go through Emily's old clothes for her little girl to wear and become nostalgic about Emily's younger years. As I was pulling out dress after dress, I had flashes of Emily in pig tails, bows, and her mostly toothless smile. It makes me teary because I miss my little baby girl and my best friend. I still see that when I look at her, but when she speaks, I can tell how much she has matured. She is starting to remind me of some things I did when I was little - just by the way she dances around like a crazy lady to her love of sports. She is at the stage where she wants to be taken very seriously, be a social butterfly and have all the independence in the world. She still has a little bit of 'tomboy' in her, but is finally willing to wear headbands and bows in her hair again and has finally embraced her "crazy curls." On September 8Th, she will step onto the school bus for the first time and I will completely lose it. It is such a cliche for all the moms to be standing at the bus stop crying on the first day of kindergarten - but I know it will happen. Last night she asked to sleep with her new backpack. I thought she was only going to lay it next to her, oh no, she completely passed out with it on her back. I love her enthusiasm about all things that are new to her. I know she'll never lose that sparkle in her eye - she is such a special little girl! Happy Birthday Emily! We LOVE you!

I had a circle and square pan of strawberry cake for her friends at school. I didn't really know what to make out of the two of them until I put the circle above the square and thought, "I can make an 'Emily'." Well, it turned out to be pretty funny. Scott and I were laughing at it as I finished it up at 11pm Sunday night. The next morning Emily saw it and gave me a weird face. She didn't like it all and requested I take the head off - basically that i should be-head the cake. I think she thought it was weird to cut into to what is supposed to be her head. I understood - but still left it on! I couldn't take it off - it was too funny! See below...