Our Firstborn - 6 years old

It took us almost 7 months to get a smile out of this girl - but my oh my, since then that smile has been the light of our worlds!  Each child (when you have more than one) has a special place in your heart for reasons that are all their own . . . but there is something different about that first one.  They go through the learning curve with you . . . no matter their age, they are always your first in everything.  Our first daughter worked with us through it all . . . from not knowing what to do with potty training to having no clue how to send a kid to school . . .and (insert mild heart attack) she will be our first to guide us through the teen years and beyond . . .

These are some of the smiles that I have loved most over the years . . . and these are the ones I remember when that now 6  year old attitude flashes its head . . . these smiles save her life :)

 7 months old - learning to use her sippy cup and flashing some teeth

 17 months old - waving hi and finding out she's going to be a big sister!

 2.5 - her 1st Cabbage Patch doll straight from the hospital in GA . . . and her name is Georgia

 3 years old - wanting her sister's ride on instead of her big girl trike

 4 years old - at the beach and had just gotten her first short haircut

 5 years old - the 1st day of kindergarten

A few weeks shy of 6 years old - the last day of kindergarten

Today, on her 6th birthday, we started swim lessons (her 3rd time around).  Jayson and I were worried she would get kicked back to the preschool class because of her lack of desire to go under water.  Nope - something clicked in that girls head and she marched right in and rocked it - she went under, she jumped off in the deep end, and came out saying she needed goggles for class tomorrow.  I did a double take to make sure she was mine.  Marlie Katherine is a lot of things, but a swimmer has not been one of them.  I am so completely proud.  We won't talk about Sam getting booted out of the preschool class down to the Mommy and Me class with Evan and me because she wouldn't stop crying . . .

So we are going to enjoy the rest of our day after the little ones wake up from nap and head to Chuck E Cheese.  Since the girls share a party, on their actual birthdays they get to pick the activities for the day as well as the meal from dinner (naturally we are having pizza!).

We love you sweet girl . . . and thank you for making us look like we know what we are doing as parents . . . you are awesome!