This morning at about 7:30am Natalie officially became 6 years old. After a whole weekend of celebrating she was THRILLED that today was finally THE day. Today was our most “low key” celebration, but she didn’t seem to notice or mind. She had a great day.

There were a few presents, brownies, and lots of phone calls.

She was one happy girl.

One thing that I thought was super sweet from the day (okay two).

#1 – Ethan woke up and the house was decorated for her and while at first he said, “Mommy its your birthday!” Once he got that it was Natalie’s he wouldn’t stop telling her Happy Birthday. He even asked her to hug and kiss him because as he said, “It’s your birthday and I love you!”

#2 – When we got home from church Bella got all the paper and colors out to make Natalie a card. I didn’t really pay much attention to what she was doing, but when we opened gifts she got all excited to give Natalie her card. I still didn’t pay too close of attention because Bella usually makes a card for birthdays, but when Natalie opened it there was money inside. It was just one dollar, but from Bella that is a lot. She gets $2 a week if she does her chores so that is half a week’s chores she just gave to her sister and she was so excited to do it. She is such a sweet big sister, Ethan and Natalie are lucky to have her.

We are so lucky to have Natalie in our lives. I am so glad we got to spend the last week celebrating her and what makes her so special. Life would certainly be a bit boring if she wasn’t around!

Natalie is turning 6 this coming Sunday. We started the celebrations off today with a small party with a few of her friends at our neighborhood pool.  When I went out to the bus stop to get the girls just an hour before the party the clouds were looming dark, but thankfully they held off until 25 minutes before the party was to end when I saw some lightning – and the kids were able to have fun playing in the pool together.

 

One of Natalie’s requests was that she get to make the cupcakes for her friends.

Once her friends got there it was time to have fun!

 

We took a quick break from the pool fun to open presents.

 

And also to have cupcakes. (This expression is SO Natalie.)

 

And the best part is that she still has 3 more days of celebration.

1. at school

2. at Disney (her choice: Hollywood Studios)

3. at home on her actual birthday

Bella has asked us a few times if she could play soccer. Usually she brought it up just AFTER the season had begun so it was too late. So finally we had our act together and we got her signed up to play the fall season of soccer. This past Saturday was their first game. Her team named themselves “The Knock-out Girls.” Unfortunately in their first game they were more the “knocked – out girls” as the other team really dominated the game, but it was still fun to watch her try something new.

Before the game they all repeat a pledge that the referee gives to them saying they’ll play fair and their best, etc.

Bella got to throw in the ball at one point.

This week we’ll be explaining to her that when you do this you throw it to your OWN team, not the other team.

  

She got the number 4. Ethan kept saying he wanted a #3 shirt. I’d better get busy making him one before the next game.

I think the experience of being on a team is going to be really good for her. The jury is still out on if this is something she’s going to want to continue in other seasons or not, but for now we’re just trying to help her learn, have fun, and make some new friends on her team. (And already Natalie is asking to play next time too.)

Natalie started piano last week on the first day of school. We have noticed for a long time that she is naturally musically talented and we decided we shouldn’t wait to guide her towards that. I was worried that she would fight us on practicing for the full 30 minutes and that she’d even pay attention for 30 minutes in her lessons. So far (2 weeks) my fears are unfounded. Her teacher says she has been doing well in lessons and that they’re able to get pretty far because of that, and then at home she’s happy to practice her 30 minutes. Not only is she happy to practice for 30 minutes, but many days within an hour of finishing her practice she is back at it on her own.

Then, yesterday, she started to write her own songs. Granted its very “primitive” – I mean she’s only calling notes by the numbers that correlate with her fingers, but she drew on a paper a pattern of quarter, half and whole notes (both with the staff pointing up and down so there were right and left hand notes in it) and then numbered them. She wrote a total of 3 lines and added a repeat at the end and then promptly sat down to play her song. She made a few changes after playing it and then quickly sat down to write another one. Once she was happy with that she decided her songs were complete she decided they needed names. She came up with Live Laugh Love for song #1 (it is on a sign in the kitchen so she copied it from there). Song #2 was eventually named “Sweet Dreams.”

Maybe we have a composer on our hands?