Eleanor Ann....the beautiful birthday princess

So, Eleanor turned five today. I've been thinking a lot about her birthday. First, and foremost, I can't believe she is five! Wasn't I just holding her for the first time just a minute ago? I can still remember kissing her soft little face for the first time and falling instantly in love with her. She was beautiful. She smelled so good and I loved her more and more each minute I held her! And now look at her.....beautiful five year old!

(Fourth of July 2010)

She has not been an easy child to raise...but I have grown from her more than I thought possible. When she was born, I became really sick. Really, really sick. We didn't know what was wrong for a long time. It was hard to wake up in the morning, let along be a parent to three children. I have had to look deep inside myself to learn how to parent her better. I have become a better person because of her. I am so blessed to be her mom and to be able to learn from this little lady!

(Her favorite outfit when she was three - she wore it everywhere!!!!)

The first couple of years I was battling severe health issues and I had a very strong-willed little girl on my hands. But, Heavenly Father has blessed me with better health and I have come to appreciate and admire Eleanor for who she is and what she can become. She wore me out every day. Almost every day to tears. Some days I didn't think I was going to make it through the day. I wanted to quit. I didn't know what I was doing wrong. I felt like a failure with the tantrums and screaming and inability to understand what was wrong. She still wears me out, but I have learned to temper myself and give her better choices, better options and be her friend, not her enemy. As she is maturing, she is better able to have the independence she craved at such a young age. She is able to understand the choices I am giving her. We are working together, not against each other!

(Age three - the smile kills me!)

(September 2008)

(Hilton Head, South Carolina 2008)

You see, she is not your average little girl. She is dramatic and feisty. Strong-willed and intense. Loving and compassionate. But, there is an intensity about her that is unmatched. People comment all the time about her intensity, her ability to command attention when in a room. We used to say that Eleanor would wake up with an agenda and not let us know what it was.....we were going to have to figure it out that day and she would let us have it if we didn't do it her way!

(Her most favorite dress in the universe - she wore it EVERY day! 2008)

She has always had an ability to pull together and outfit and look amazing! She loves to have her hair fixed and we ALWAYS have to match the bows with the outfit! Otherwise we have weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth! (Seriously! Some of you have seen it happen!)

(2007)

She almost always wears a crown of some sort. She loves to be a princess and insists on being treated like one....I like that about her! I encourage it, as she needs to be treated with respect throughout her entire life!

Her "Big Sister" Crown that she wore until it fell apart....she LOVED that crown!)

(Her best friend in the world, Andrew 2009)

(Christmas 2009)

One of the best things that happened to Eleanor was her little sister, Savannah. She loves this little sister like no other! She adores her and defends her and comforts her and is the best big sister a little one could ask for! She loves to match clothes with Savannah and loves to comb and fix her hair for her. She sings to her, reads to her, loves her, dresses her, holds her hand every time they are in the car and teaches her how to be a lady!

(September 6, 2008 - holding Savannah for the first time)

(Hilton Head, South Carolina 2008)

She has several imaginary friends. We always make accommodations for them. Setting a place at the table, moving car seats so there is room in the car, waiting at home an extra ten minutes until they arrive....yeah, we've done it all for them! Dubiak, from Alaska, is our favorite. She is a great friend. She comes quite a bit and visits. Eleanor has long phone conversations with her when Dubiak is in Alaska. Every once in awhile she comes and stays for several days and then has to go back to Alaska.

(Summer 2009)

(Christmas 2007)

She has grown into such a beautiful young lady that sometimes it takes my breath away!

(June 2010)

My beautiful birthday princess!

(June 2010)

(June 2010)

She loves to play the violin and loves having her dad as her teacher. Sometimes the battle of the wills will ensue, if she thinks that she is right, but she is progressing well and loves her dad! She is motivated and we have a chart on the wall to learn certain songs. When she learns them, she can get a new sparkly pink dress! She has one more song to learn! I am so proud of her!

(June 2010)

Eleanor, the last year and a half, has really grown up. She is kinder and more willing to work on issues with me. We don't butt heads nearly as much, as she is able to be more independent in her actions and thinking. She is a smart little lady and amazes me with her ability to take on the world! She has become my friend, as well as my daughter. We laugh more together and get along better. It took a long time to get here. It's really been a tough couple of years. She is one of those children who needs to be pointed in the right direction and then you'd better get out of her way, because she will go full speed ahead!!!

(June 2010)

(September 2009 - Granny Todd funeral at Arlington Cemetary)

One of my favorite things about Eleanor now is bedtime. She can talk a mile a minute about her life and everything that has happened that day. She sings and makes up songs, she talks to Savannah and she begs for the primary songs to be sung to her. She has an amazing voice and sings with gusto! Then, suddenly, she will be quiet and be asleep. Her decompression time is about 20 minutes. Sometimes I am sad when she finally settles down and gives a big sigh and drifts off.

When she was younger, it used to be the worst time, because she would fight me and cry and get out of bed and argue and come up with a million excuses, then suddenly, when I was ready to call it quits, would just fall asleep! It was exhausting, especially after spending the entire day with her being the same way. I would literally plead with Heavenly Father to help me and help her calm down so she could sleep! I used to call her the bedtime firecracker. She would spark and spit at me and make a loud boom and spew colors and lights and make a huge scene....and then fizzle in seconds!

(Fall of 2009)

She started junior kindergarten this last year at the Flint Hill School. It was so good for her! Eleanor has a social agenda. She has the need for social interaction and intellectual stimulation. She craved it and sending her off every morning was hard, but my health is still so unstable. She thrived in this environment. Her teachers loved her and she loved them.

(Spring 2010 - Cape May, New Jersey)

(Christmas 2009)

Pink is still her favorite color. She loves it! No, I mean L.O.V.E.S. it! I am careful with the clothes I get for her, as she will turn her nose up at quite a few things. She liked dresses and skirts, a lot! Every day last year to school she wore a skirt or a jumper. She just added tights in the winter! I love the way she dresses - she always looks very classy and ladylike!

(Winter 2008)

She loves to dance and I promised her that when she turned five I would put her in dance lessons. She has been counting the days! It is so expensive! I will do it though, because she LOVES to dance! She has a special dance called "The Super Cool Dance" that she often will do on the spur of the moment. It's amazing and she can really move! She especially loves ballet and can be found dressed up and doing ballet around the house quite a bit!

(Spring 2009)

(Winter 2008)

Eleanor is a true friend. She loves to have play dates and has some really good friends on the pipestem. She does like to be in charge while playing and as long as you are willing to go along, there should be no problems! She has a lot of good friends and all her teachers say she is a great person to have in class because she will be a friend to everyone. That is a good trait to have and I admire her for that!

(Cousin Margie with their matching crowns - 2008)

(Winter 2008)

She is extremely artistic and creative! She draws for hours and has been doing rainbows and hearts with curly cues and details on her people that are amazing! She definitely go her mom's talent for art! Her favorite thing to do is take random scraps of paper and fabric and such and create a masterpiece. She colors in the lines really well and chooses bright colors, leaning heavy on the pink, of course!

( Hilton Head, South Carolina 2007)

(Summer 2007)

And then this morning she woke up and she was five. I couldn't believe it. There she was, with her new "Happy Birthday" crown that she wore all day long. She was thrilled with it and we put the "Happy Birthday" ribbons in her hair. She wore her pink skirt and her new pink shirt and was ready to go! She had planned a birthday playdate with all of her friends, so that was on our agenda today!!!

We had everything all ready to go and had our swimming suits on for the big water playdate and it started to rain....and rain.....and rain.....

Luckily, it was warm rain and we were already wet from playing in the pool. But it kept coming. Our neighbor checked the weather for me and said that there was a little black cloud over our house - literally! The neighbors didn't get the rain, just our house!

The kids went and got umbrellas and played in their swimming suits, with their umbrellas in the rain!

I couldn't resist putting this picture of Eleanor and her best friend, Andrew, in. They are the best of friends. What a blessing to have a great friend like him!

The rain came down for an hour! Sometimes it was hard rain and sometimes it was a drizzle. Savannah had a great time with the umbrella!

When the rain finally stopped, we came outside to decorate cupcakes. My neighbor made these awesome extra large cupcakes for the kids to decorate! So, we sang and she wished and blew and then we decorated!

So, my little girl, Eleanor, is five. Wow!

I am so grateful for her and her sweet personality! She is such a joy in my life. She completes me as a mother and a person. She amazes me everyday! Happy Fifth Birthday to my beautiful princess, Eleanor Ann! I love you so much!