five.

I remember when she was two years old.  There were moments (lots of them) where I wasn’t sure I would make it… make it through what, I didn’t know.   A day?  An hour?  Sometimes even that minute, I suppose.  She was “that kid.”  The one who had knock down, drag out tantrums in the middle of the aisle at Target.   The one who would push a random child out of the way at the playground and scream “MY SLIDE.”  The one who could scream so long, and so loud, that I would lock myself in the bathroom with the fan on just to get 2 minutes of peace and quiet.   I also remember someone telling me that someday she would use that energy for good.

I’d love to tell you that it is all sunshine and rainbows now.   Well, it’s not quite that.  She still can scream, scowl, growl, yell, and fight better than lots of kids her age; however, she has also managed to turn that “spirit” into one of the most incredible little human beings imaginable.

She is not afraid to speak her mind.   She cut her hair because she wanted it short and she didn’t care what anyone else thought.  Last Halloween, she told her sister Macyn that she wouldn’t let anyone make fun of her because Macyn was dressed in a “boys costume”.  And she tells anyone who will listen that she doesn’t believe there is such a thing as “boys clothes” and “girls clothes” because people should be allowed to wear whatever they want.   She amazes me.  I don’t know how it’s possible, at just 5 years old, she not only knows who she is, but she has absolutely no shame in expressing it.   If I could bottle this piece of her personality up and make sure that she keeps it forever, I would do it in a heartbeat.

She loves her big sister with all of her heart.  Macyn (she calls her “sissy”) came in to surprise her at school for her birthday snack, and Sienna squealed with delight and just wrapped herself around Macyn’s body.  She has so much love to give and she shares it with no reservation.

She is the most incredible big sister to her baby brother.   He pulls her hair, tugs her clothing, ruins her towers and drawings, and chases her with fly-swatters.  Yet, the moment he falls down, she races to him, helps him up and says in the sweetest little voice, “Oh sweet angel baby, did you hurt your body or your feelings?”

She loves animals.   She challenges me (daily) to talk nicely to the dogs even when they incessantly bark.   She follows them around and rubs their bellies, plays ball with them, and gives them treats.  She still wants to be a dolphin trainer when she grows up.

She is hilarious.   Some people just have that natural ability to be funny and she is one of them.   She loves to tell me she is being “sar-cat-sick” (sarcastic), and she knows how to use sarcasm correctly.  She laughs, and when she does, her whole face glows and lights up.   I remember saying in her birthday post last year that she had a smile that lights up a room.  And that she does!

She plans every outfit she wears with extreme care.  And most days it looks just like she pulled the first two things she found out of the closet.   Recently, she had crazy clothes day at school.   She came into my bedroom in the morning dressed in one of her typical outfits.  A patterned shirt with a different patterned tank top over it.  A third pattern adorned her pants.  I reminded her that it was crazy clothes day and asked if she wanted to change her outfit at all.   I figured she would make it even MORE crazy.   A few minutes later, she came back in to my room in a totally coordinated pants and shirt with a matching headband.  She said to me, “Mommy, today I am going to wear clothes that MATCH.  Isn’t that crazy?”  I adore her sense of style.

She loves.   Yep, that is a full thought.  She loves people.  She loves animals.  She loves places.  She loves experiences.   She loves sugar.   She loves bike riding.  She just loves.   She wears her heart on her sleeve.

She tells anyone who will listen that she doesn’t want to turn 5 because she doesn’t want to go to kindergarten.  And while I know she is anxious and nervous about starting kindergarten, I also know that she will continue to thrive and grow into the girl she is becoming.

Sienna, you make me so very proud.   You are an amazing little girl, and you are becoming the most incredible big girl.  I have no doubt that you were put in the family to challenge me to be a better Mommy.   And I have no doubt that you and I will have some ridiculous fights when you are a teenager.  But I will continue to remind myself, just like I do now, that your fiery passion for life is what helps make you the incredible girl that you are.   Happy 5th Birthday!

PS… I had every intention of doing a 5th birthday photo session with Sienna that I could post here.   I still will… it just hasn’t happened yet, so tonight when I asked her if I could take her picture, she told me I could take ONE.  Thank goodness the one I got captured that devilish little twinkle in her eyes.