5 years old

So, my precious girl turned 5 today. I am not usually one to become particularly sentimental, but sometimes when it comes to my kids something sentimental kicks in. Esther is charming but challenging, exhilirating but exasperating, silly but sly, intelligent but intense, funny but frustrating, and she can make me both laugh and steam. Now that she is five it kind of feels like maybe a new chapter is starting. She isn't a toddler anymore, or a little kid. She is five. She can read a little bit, she can spell a little bit, she can use a laptop and a desktop, an iPad and an iPhone, and she now gets a weekly allowance (which she has learned to split 5 ways).

This weekend she had a Princess Party with her female classmates, who all came dressed up as princesses. They did Princess Crafts, had Princess Cupcakes, and took Princess Pictures. These are all things that I never would have done as a little girl, but I am learning pretty much every day that Esther and I are very very different from each other and that is not necessarily a bad thing! It sure is teaching me a lot. Sometimes I don't deal with it very well, but other times I am thankful for it.

Who knew parenting would be such a challenge! Sure, it depends on the kid to some extent, but I think in general it just is one of those things that God uses to slowly mold you more closely to His image!

This is Esther at her Princess Party.


This is Esther today, the day she turned 5.

This is baby Esther, my sweet precious girl, next to my 5 year-old sweet precious girl!