spider-girl at my kitchen table
When I suggested she jump off the bench, she told me that Spider-Girl does not jump off low benches and neither do five year olds. The face. The hands. The pose. Cutie.
Five. She starts kindergarten in a few weeks. Considering we homeschool, that is a bit relative. However, she has a new backpack so it is official. She wanted a superhero birthday celebration. Once upon a time, there were superhero costumes coming out of every closet in our house. No one has asked to dress like Spiderman or Superman in a very long time, so we had to borrow a few costumes.
Batgirl and Spider-Girl strike a pose on Spider-Girl’s 5th birthday.
Superheroes do not actually like posing for pictures. They prefer action shots.
Her birthday fell on a speech day, which was perfect. She got to see one of her very favorite people the morning she turned five. Miss Jennie even arrived as Wonder Woman. Every parent that has had a child in any form of therapy knows what a treasure we have in Jennie. I’m so grateful for her.
A few of her favorite foods and favorite people helped her celebrate her big day.
This next picture makes me laugh. My niece was actually having a great time, but I think she might have wanted to blow out those candles. Her birthday is around the corner…
I can’t believe she is 5. My youngest kid is 5.
She is full of opinions, confidence, and words. So many words. As we got things ready for her birthday, she told me all about her plans for when her brothers move out. She is going to have their room all to herself and she is going to play a lot of basketball. She also has plans for building a house in our backyard and not taking naps. So many words and ideas coming out her cute little self.
I was reading a few old posts last week and came across these words from when she was 3:
“She has a handful of words, similar to what a 1 year old can say. BUT – she understands everything. She is so smart. You can imagine how frustrating it is for her to understand and want to communicate, but to be unable to physically form the words she wants to say. We are doing lots of speech therapy (and signing), but it is still such slow hard road for her. As parents it is hard to watch her have to fight for everything – fight to learn to eat, fight to learn to speak, fight to overcome difficulties from her past. And yet, it is her fight, her tiny warrior spirit that defines her in so many ways.
One day my daughter will speak with clarity and confidence. One day others will not ask me, “What is she saying?” One day she will not cry out in frustration. One day speech therapy will be her past. I firmly believe God has great plans for her, plans that include her voice.
One day I’ll sit at the table with her and we’ll have a long conversation. I’ll hear her thoughts and her dreams and her voice. I’ll hear her.”
Well, she is there. Speaking with clarity and confidence and I am hearing her dreams and voice. Sometimes it is easy to forget where we’ve been. In the midst of long kitchen table conversations about superheros, I forgot I am living the very moments I once dreamed of. I need to read my old posts more often!
