Happy Birthday Sweet Ava

Dearest Ava -

Today you are six years old.  Six.  Wow.  What a beautiful little girl you have become.  It is amazing to me just how much you have grown and learned in the last year.  This year you started kindergarten, played your first year of tball and started your second, become a big sister and grown over 3 inches!  If that wasn't enough for your Momma to process, you went and lost your chubby baby cheeks.  :(

QIt's no secret that your Momma is a HUGE softball fan. Last year you started playing tball.  You were only 4 when you started and turned 5 halfway through the season.  You should have been playing in the instructional league but we played you up with the 6 year olds. I have to say you may have been the smallest on the field but you were one of the cutest to watch and you had a blast.  Your coach continually said you were the most coachable kid he'd ever had on any of his teams.  Fast forward to this season, one year older and actually playing with girls your own age.  You moved from catcher to pitcher.  You aren't the fastest on the team but you are the most dependable.  You can field and throw the ball to first like a pro (tballer)!  You are a joy to watch on the field b/c you smile every where you go - and you have fun.  I learned so much playing the game of softball, I am so hopeful that you will experience the joy, memories and lessons that I did in the years to come.

Just like in tball last year, you got to play your first season of little Dribbler's this year.  We had you play with Carli on the 8U team.  The best part of those Saturday mornings was seeing your huge grin as you ran up and down the court guarding your girl the entire time.  Toward the end of the season you even got your hands on the ball and dribbled it.  Had there been a reward for the kid who brought the most joy onto the court, hands down it would have gone to you!

You have taken on the roll of being a big sister like a champ!  The first time you held your little brother the pride in your eyes and joy on your face were priceless.  As the year progressed you have been a constant source of entertainment for Drew and always ready with a hug and extra loving for your tired parents!

You are just about done with kindergarten. I was unsure about how you would like school.  At home you never sit still so the prospect of sending you to school for 8 hrs a day was daunting.  I'm pretty sure I was more stress over how the first day would go then you were.  You were fast to make new friends, apparently are quite the rule follower and even have a few little boy admirers!  Perhaps you'll make a good doctor if the quality of your handwriting is any indication - you simply don't care if it is neat!  You enjoy math and you and your daddy spent many nights finishing your math homework together, and it took your two to three times longer than it should b/c you usually are dancing around the table while you "think".  You did not mind if Daddy walked you into school, but had a strict rule that he could not look into your room much less come in to help you put your things in your cubby - little Ms. Independent.  :)

Six years ago I was anxious about welcoming in a new little girl to our family.  How grateful I am that God had a plan for our family, despite my fears.  Our family would not be complete without you Ava.  You bring us joy, and give us hope.  You have a twinkle in your eyes that Pawpaw always had when he was into mischief, and I am pretty sure you are just as mischievous as he was.  You give the best hugs, and still have the most infectious belly laugh.  You still get super silly and giggly when you are so tired.  When you are sad, you try so hard to hold it all in and then your bottom lip will start to quiver and finally you literally explode into sobs.  It is so pitiful but so.... Ava. You love Taco Buenos and sweet tea.  You love baths, especially with lots of bubbles. You have a very strong opinion of what you want to wear and what you simply cannot be seen in.  You have an amazing ability to find that one thing that "you just cannot live without" and convincing your Daddy to buy it for you.  Because of that, I seldom let you and your Daddy go into a store alone!  Perhaps you won't be a doctor after all... you would make a good lawyer!

Ava, you maybe turning six.  You may have grown 3 inches this year and surprisingly are taller than Carli was at six.  Your sweet baby cheeks are disappearing and the freckles across your nose seem to multiply daily (and it is so stinking' cute!).  You have strong opinions.  You admire your big sister but are most definitely your own person.  You brighten up any room you walk into and your infectious smile is simply, beautiful.  Sometimes you just need a hug, a teddy bear or a good long cuddle.  Sometimes, you just need to be held.  But all the time and forever, you are still my baby.    You are my joy, you have my heart and you make me so proud to be your Momma.  May the next year be full of new adventures, smiles and making new memories.  But may it go by slowly and let me soak in every smile, tear and kiss - because I am in no hurry for your to grow up.

Happy birthday Ava-Boo.  You are so, so loved.

Love,
Momma

Ava at Six:

46 inches - 58%
56.6 lbs - 89%