Everyone needs a little grace

I know I said it several times when Gwenevere was 5 but I want to say it again.  Having a 5 year old is so FUN!  I can't tell you how much I love having Grace at this stage.  She is so easy going and happy (for the most part).  And during a rough month of sickness she hasn't once felt ill or complained about being stuck at home wit her sick siblings.

Grace is constantly playing with her imagination.  She loves to roleplay.  I think it's her creative outlet, just like Gwenevere's is art.  I love how she is learning to use her body.  I find her upside down 20 times a day. Grace has decided to learn all the songs from the movie Trolls and likes to play the  music for hours at a time.   She loves jumping of the bunkbed ladder and scarring me.  When she's not constantly on the go, singing dancing or sitting upside down, Grace is quietly working on puzzles or reading books to herself.

I love watching Grace do puzzles.  She has two favorite puzzles that she does at least 3 times a day (each).  yesterday we needed to pick out a gift for a friend's birthday party.  We went to our special toy store.  We found two more puzzles that we both loved.  I didn't even hesitate to buy them.  Already they have been well loved and it makes me so happy to see her learn and grown.  puzzles are the best.  She has one more puzzle on the way.  I can't wait for it to arrive.  Hopefully in the next two weeks.  It's a shutterfly personalized puzzle of her with all her stuffed animals.

If Grace isn't doing puzzles I can often find her reading books.  Her preschool teacher told her that the first step to reading a book is learning to read the pictures in books.  She likes to tell people that she can't read words yet but she can read pictures.  She loves to read pictures books and sometimes will read to Everett.

Grace is a great friend to Everett and Gwenevere.  I love that she can play with both siblings.  She is either playing boardgames with Gwenevere or make-believe with Everett.

After Gwenevere's birthday, Grace decided she wants a Bitty Baby for her birthday.  I keep telling her we'll decide when her birthday gets closer.  But she is determined.  Grace has made it clear that she would rather have a Bitty Baby over a birthday party at pump it up with friends.  (her own ideas).

Since she was so persistent on her Harry Potter party I have no doubt we'll probably be buying Grace a Bitty Baby doll for her birthday.   I just love that when she makes up  her mind, there is no turning back.

I just love love love this age, this stage and this beautiful girl.