6 months later to the day!

Charli Reece today was your First Day of kindergarten and just like I did to Grandma when I was a little girl, you left me in a ball of tears! I dropped you off, you took a few pictures for me, you gave me a hug, and you said " Bye Mommy." That was all she wrote, by the time I turned back to hug you again you were already busy coloring and making friends. Oh Charli I LOVE YOU! I cannot wait to hear all about your day, I wish I could pick you up right now-- 3:30 can't get here soon enough! I hope you enjoyed the lunch we packed, laughed, met a lifelong friend, washed your hands ....all these thoughts I have in my head--- come on clock move faster!

Now Rewind to the past 6 months that flew by. Oh the places we have gone, people we have seen, and the things we have done! You finished up your time at St.Thomas and are a Preschool Graduate. You even wore a graduation cap at your ceremony, that was such a special day! You wore a beautiful blue dress with a fur shawl and had you hair braided; you looked so beautiful. Grandma, Daddy, and I were all there to watch your teacher recap the amazing year, sing songs you worked hard to learn, and receive your diploma.  Grandma took you on a special date after to celebrate and we went out to dinner that night!

You have continued with weekly advanced gymnastics and of course those days consist of your dates with Grandma. The next session will start up again next week. You gymnastics skills have me awe-inspired. You can do a one handed cartwheel at ease and are perfecting your back walk over! Just Amazing honey, so proud of you. With you loving gymnastics and the natural tie in we decided to give cheer camp a try.  You enjoyed your time and did an awesome performance at the end of the week in front of the whole camp. That reminds me, you had a gymnastics show with the entire park district and you rocked that too!  Wow you are performing everywhere superstar, Champion Charli. Currently you are taking some cheer classes and even got a pair of cheer shoes. You have taught us all the cheers and Danica loves to do them with you, what a great teacher you are.

Over the summer you took crafting classes, cooking classes, gymnastics, swim lessons, science classes, story time and drawing, you did soooo many things. We spent a lot of time at the pool and you are now a member of the jumping off the diving board club at both Birchwood pool and Grandma's house, including Grandma's water slide. Your swimming strokes are just awesome, I can't believe how smooth your backstroke is...ok I can believe it because you are amazing but really honey it is great!

We went boating out at Auntie Ter's and Uncle Neil's lake house and you even went fishing off the dock and helped catch a fish. That was such a fun day meeting all your cousins and hanging out with family. You got to meet so many new family members and spend time with Aunts and Uncles and cousins from out of town. That was really special. I think it was one of the greatest summers EVER!

You are mastering the art of riding your bike and I think it is time to take the training wheels off....stay tuned. In the mean time you are a ziggle machine!

With your love of art and crafting you are so blessed to have the masters of both in our family with Grandma and Auntie Ter. Grandma is such an advocate for you, like when you colored the bathtub or carved your name in your wood door, she said, "Oh she's just an artist that's what we do!" And with Auntie Terry you have had your own 1 on 1 crafting dates and even helped her get crafts ready for her classroom. What a great helper you are! She sent you home with so many other crafts, even at restaurants she has crafts for you to do, every day there has been so much crafting going on. Every project you make is so special that we made you a bin this summer to keep all of them safe, I think we are going to need another bin soon!

You have so many talents it is captivating to watch all you can do because you really are the sweetest and most innocent girl. You eyes are so full of wonder and you just want to explore and learn more and more. We redecorated your room and you picked the paint color- it is the most beautiful pink and the most perfect color I think you could have picked, whispy pink. Your eye for design is crazy, I ask for your advice with everything. The eye, girl you have it!

You own look is like a drawing of a doll you are so beautiful with such soft features. Your beautiful blue eyes are protected by the most golden long eye lashes. You have such sweet pouty lips and a smile that could light up the sky. You are built like a gymnast so strong yet so petite and just lovely. You truly are lovely.

In a questionnaire for kindergarten we were asked 5 works to describe you, I put 6: energetic, kind, creative, artistic, explorative ( I don't even think that is a word), athletic... I should have put a million words: bubbily, intelligent, silly, loveable, sweet..... Charli you mean everything to me and I think you are AMAZING!

If I could spend every minute of the day with you and Danica I would. Last night was the one of the first times you went to your bed by yourself like a big girl and slept there because you knew school was starting and you were so excited. Pink teddy and blanket in tow, clothes picked out, you entered dream land with such great anticipation and some jitters for the first day of a whole new chapter in your life. I went in your bed when the thunderstorm hit and then back to my room...and at 5 am when there was some noise on your window pane I had no problem cuddling you back in to my bed where you really belong....ok I know you  belong in your big girl bed. I missed being kicked and punched in the face all night in my king size bed. HAHA

We had an amazing summer and though it was like pulling teeth at times I appreciated you help with laundry and with cleaning your room. You started to earn money for your piggy bank doing different chores and that was so awesome for you. I also appreciate you helping with your sister and with Reilly. Being a big sister is such an amazing role and one that is a lot of responsibility and I appreciate you rising to the occasion. My lil pookie paka mookie mana, pan. There are not enough nicknames in the world, I create a new one everyday!

Thank you for brushing your teeth and being such a good girl in the shower. Thank you for dressing yourself so nice every day. Thank you for eating cereal and bring picky about everything else, especially bread! When it comes to cook in front of you thought, you clear your entire mean when it comes to the kids steak and I mean everything from the soup to the last lick of chocolate or sherbet ice cream! You are such a neat kid, ponnie. Thank you for being you!

I am excited about this school year for you and all the activities you are going to be involved in: gymnastics, soccer, slime class, crafting class, science classes, dance classes, daddy daughter class, cheer, wow Charli you are in so much stuff. I hope you enjoy every minute of it. You deserve all of life's best!!!!

Recap of first day of school: I picked you up and you were eating a snack and had the biggest smile on your face. You told me you had a great day, you even asked if we could go take a picture with your teacher!!! It was music to my ears. They gave you bubbles at CARE so we went outside and took a picture in the tree, and you blew all the bubbles. It was awesome. Then we went out to cook in front of you, your request, and celebrated with Auntie Terry, Auntie Tammy, Uncle Neil, Uncle Mike, and Laura.... and of course Danica and Daddy. It was a perfect day for a perfect little girl! Bring on Kindergarten. So excited for what happens next!!!!

Love you soooooo much!!!!!