Happy Birthday Eliza!

Dear Eliza, 

Somehow you're already six years old. SIX! I simply cannot believe how quickly the time has gone. You are such a lovely, smart little girl! 

This year, you patiently let Hazel have her special day and all the spotlight for her baptism on your actual birthday. We were so proud of you! To make up for it, we celebrated just you the following day. You picked a teddy bear cake pan from the library and requested a chocolate cake, with chocolate frosting, and chocolate sprinkles. You love your chocolate! You wanted to decorate it yourself, and I think it turned out perfectly.

You continue to amaze us with your reading skills and how quickly you learn. This summer you've taken to reading long chapter books such as Little House on the Prairie.  Not only can you read them, but you understand what you're reading so well. We were given this large, beautiful Book of Mormon as a gift from Grandma Craig after she passed away. You spent a solid 30 minutes reading it one morning. I know she was smiling down on you from heaven!

You are a total girly, girl and love to be fancy. Grandma decorated your hair with flowers and painted your nails while she was here. You loved it! 

When you grow up, you want to be a zookeeper. Here you are at the zoo this summer.

You're also still totally obsessed with elephants. You insisted Emmy and Edith (your mama and baby elephant from Christmas) come with you when it was time to get your stitches out.

You are an amazing sister. You love to play with your siblings and try to keep them happy for the most part. While I worked at YMCA this summer, you were always asking to hold the babies. One little girl struggled when her mom left if someone wasn't holding her. You were always happy to sit with her and entertain her. You can't wait for your baby brother to be born in a few months!

You're our most active, adventurous girl. You love to run, climb, and play. Dirt doesn't phase you a bit, though you don't like bugs. Also, this summer you've mostly mastered riding your bike without training wheels!

The week after your birthday you lost your first tooth! You were hoping Gram would pull it out while she was in town (she pulled out Hazel's first tooth). But sadly it wasn't quite ready before she left. One night you kept complaining it hurt so I told you'd we'd try and pull it. Before I could even grab some toilet paper and try you'd already bravely yanked it yourself! You were so excited you were able to lose your first tooth in Iowa before we moved! 

We sure love you little E! I hope you keep learning and thirsting after knowledge. I hope you continue to love babies and children. I know you'll be an incredible mother someday. Most of all, I hope you never lose your courageous sense of adventure. You seem to take whatever life offers you and make the best of it! 

With all my love -
Mommy