Indie's 5 year Update!
Indie's Five Freakin years old. Whaaa? Five sounds a whole lot different than four, but feels exactly the same. (I know, weird that there was no magical change over night.)
Indie is very excited to be getting older. She is starting Kindergarten next week, and she couldn't be more thrilled. We tease her lots, and try to convince her she doesn't need to go to school. To which she adamantly responses that she will be going to school, and will not be home schooled. It wasn't ever a serious offer, but if she asked, I'd do it. I'm having a hard time with this transition. Any care packages equipped with tissues are welcome.
Indie can read, and sound out so many words. Her favorite words to read are those that end in 'ING'. She loves it when I make up stories that correlate with how a letter should be written. It helps her keep calm when a letter is particularly difficult to pin down.
Indie is easy going, until she's not. She gets very particular about how certain things should be. That's probably the top word I would use to describe her right now. She's all things imaginative, sweet, adorable, independent, adventurous, but a prevailing theme is how particular she can be.
She loves order and plans. Indie will legit come up with contingency plans for her contingency plans for hypothetical situations. On the daily.
Indie is becoming more stubborn, and as I've taught her to read, it's been interesting to see how well she can master things when she puts her mind to it. She doesn't get frustrated too easily by making mistakes, but when she decides she's done trying, She. Is. Done. It's been a great lesson to me on patience. We've talked and talked and talked about having an open mind. Mistakes are our favorite because it means we are learning and trying. Its great to make mistakes, Its not okay to stop trying. I wish I could pound this into her head and get her to apply it to every aspect of her life.
I'll forever be grateful for how forgiving Indie is. Being the first kid isn't easy. I learn so much by watching her, teaching her, and a lot of the times, doing the wrong thing. Indie always forgives and moves on with me. She is so incredibly obedient and helpful. We have high expectations for her, and she has high expectations for herself, which hopefully continues to be a positive thing.
We are learning that Indie is a perfectionist. She loves to do the right thing, at the right time, the right way, the first time. She has a really hard time accepting if she has fallen short from that mark.
Indie makes her own bed every morning, helps unload the dishwasher, sits down and does reading lessons with me everyday. She constantly helps with her younger siblings, and is usually very quick to help pick up after herself. She gets to start sweeping up after dinner now that she's 5. Something she's super excited for.
Indie doesn't emote too often. She loves to take in her surroundings and you can see the fire behind her eyes, working constantly to understand and to imagine. She can be having the time of her life, with a furrowed brow and a roaming stare. We took her tubing for the first time, and she let her whole face light up as she was tossed over the choppy water. It was so fun to watch her beam and indulge.
Indie doesn't indulge in much of anything unless it's playing with someone. Quality time is her love language. One more is her mantra. She'll play ya to death, she'll read with you til your voice's gone, she'll cook with you til you're out of food, there's no moment long enough to satisfy her desire to be your buddy. Bonus points if it's in an adventure setting. She's really come out of her shell this summer. She loves to hike, climb, jump, run, swim, splash, explore, and try new things. I'm so grateful and proud that she is willing to try new things.
She was a very cautious toddler, and some of that caution still lingers. In fact it all seems to linger with her new big girl bike. Like, smack my head a million times. Kid, you're fine! Just peddle! I've worked and worked with her on that stupid bike. Almost daily we are out trying to build up some more confidence. The other week, we passed a spot where the pavement had a small oil stain on it. She panicked. We turned off the sidewalk onto a small walking trail. It was even and paved ground, just a slight change in color, hysteria ensued. There is a small incline on the way to a park by our house. It took us weeks to be able to get her to even try it. She now will go up and down the small incline by herself. She was so proud. I was too.
It took a while to get her to feel comfortable turning corners. She had done well consistently for a few days, then regressed randomly the next day. I told Indie she needed to turn by herself, but I'd stand right next to her. She refused. We went back and forth a few times, but she wouldn't budge. She wanted me to do it for her. I ended up ultimately just continuing on our walk without her. Hell hath no fury like an Indie left behind. The screaming and crying. I just closed my eyes and hoped that she'd come following and I wouldn't regret tough love. Stella hung out the stroller, horror struck as she watched hysterical Indie getting smaller and smaller. She kept looking at me, saying 'Indie very sad!' Eventually the sound of Indie's hysterics slowly got closer and closer til she caught back up with us. All by herself on her bike. Stella and I cheered her on, while she reluctantly admitted she was proud of herself, but mostly just horrified that I walked on without her.
In contrast she ADORES her balance bike. She pretends it's a motorcycle and plays a lot on it. It's a lot closer to the ground, which makes her feel a lot more secure, I'm sure.
Indie loves to tease. Her eyes will twinkle when she thinks she's being silly, or egging you on. She and Damon love to share a good knock knock joke, sneak attack, or silly trick.
The great tragedy of Indie's life is the need for sleep. She hates going to bed. She wants to be part of it all. We hear her lament almost nightly the woes of having to sleep at all. She will keep a large collection of books on her bed and read with her flashlight until she can't keep her eyes open anymore.
Indie is a morning kid. She wakes up before the sun, and runs to the window to watch it rise. She has roped Stella into this tradition and will often describe how beautiful the sun was as it rose, to me, over breakfast. She will often lay her hand or head on my shoulder and tell me what a beautiful day it is while we are out. Seriously the most precious thing.
Indie had wanted to see a real life rainbow for ages. One night a summer storm rolled through, fierce. The most vibrant rainbow I think I've ever seen filled the sky. It was seriously breath taking. I ran to Indie's room, where she was already sleeping. I woke her up and we ran to admire the rainbow. She was so precious. Rubbing sleep from her eyes and trying to wake up to take it all in. She gasped and laid her head on my shoulder. We watched it for a few moments before putting her tired little self back in bed. She is obsessed with rainbows and a stickler for true rainbow order.
Indie has a great imagination, she has two kids that have been around for ages. Neela & Newt. She takes them everywhere and plays with them often. She also uses them as a scapegoat for any and all criticism she finds uncomfortable. Forgot to turn off her light? Neela did that. Wasn't nice to Estelle? Newt was actually the one who forgot to be nice, Indie knows how. Thank you very much. Didn't clean up her toys? Neela left them out after Indie already had put them away.
Indie is mostly a great sport to her little shadow, Stella. They love each other, and miss each other when they're apart. They are just barely getting into little fights, which is boo.
Indie loves to carry Finn all over the house. I often set him down in one place, and he'll be across the room, awkwardly facing away from all of us. Because Indie has taken it upon herself to make him mobile.
Indie is deathly afraid of bee's, fly's and ants. She hopes to start gymnastics and wishes she could do ballet too. She believes in fairies, wants to be a Mommy and a teacher when she grows up, and knows an awful lot about outer space. According to Indie the biggest word she knows is hieroglyphics and the smallest is mouse. Her favorite color is pink and purple, she loves plain noodles and having her back scratched. She has the most beautiful eyes, and the biggest desire to be good, and do what is right.
We sure love this kid, the joy she brings, all she teaches us, the example she sets. We try to let her know daily how lucky we are to have an Indie girl in our family. Happy 5 years Ladybug!
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