a whole hand

casey shea,
four was fun. four was a lot of just you and me sharing our days together while your siblings were off at school and your daddy at work. i have treasured it all. you can be fierce and independent, strong willed and smart. you are funny as heck! this was your year of the knock knock joke and you tell them better than anyone. your laughter is infectious. your smile is the best. maybe one day you may not love all these shots of your gap toothed smile but i say it all the time, it is just so you, and i know one day when you grow your adult tooth i will miss this pirate smile of yours. you still say funny words like "pam-pakes" and "chickmunk" though they sure are dwindling more and more as your vocabulary has soared this year. now you chatter on about echolocation, narwhals, and migration. such big words out of your little body. i just love it. you are constantly moving spinning and dancing. every person you meet is your new best friend.though your very best friend is your brother. oh how you 2 are great friends and love each other. i have no doubt that you will always have many friends casey, you exude confidence and fun and those are 2 very wonderful qualities. you are tiny, many people mistake you for younger, until you open your mouth and speak and then they are stumped. you are a firecracker little one. you have wished to be 5 for SOOOO long it seems. being the youngest must be tough. you so want to be right there every step of the way with your brother. well sweet girl that day is here. today you are five, or as we all like to say, today you are a whole hand!!! five will hold many new adventures for you, but i never fear adventure when it comes to you, you dive right in. you draw beautiful pictures, your handwriting rocks, you love swimming class, and will soon begin dance. you dress yourself each day in fun patterns and stripes. you love dresses over blue jeans and your brother's old hunter plaid jacket. lately you have been letting me braid your hair. you have the warmest brown eyes and beautiful wavy hair. you still take favorite puppy with you everywhere and to bed with you each night tucked under your chin. your favorite color is pink. this fall you will be school age, you are so much more than ready. i know you are so very excited for that day to come, but for now we have spring to look forward to, a new big girl bike to ride, and a summer to linger in. happy five sweet girl. "mummah" loves you.
now open your eyes and make a wish!
xoxo,
momma