Snapshot of Daphne Marie - Age 5.5

Daphne Marie - Age 5 and 1/2

Oh Daffodil,

You angel.  You have absolutely blossomed this year.  You are a pure delight to be around with your shining eyes, endless creativity and eagerness to help your Mama.  There is a reason you were the first.

Before Kindergarten started in the fall, you were a rollercoaster of emotions and I felt so guilty for that as none of it was your fault.  Due to the 3 moves, the taxing twin pregnancy, the loss of your brother Aiden and the birth of baby Alan, you went through more in a 6 month period of time than any 5 year old should have to.  With all that stress, it started to rub off with major meltdowns, a sassy attitude, and culminated in an accidental case of shoplifting a blank giftcard from the checkout stand of JoAnns!  You were so afraid when I made you take it back and ask the store clerk for forgiveness.  I cried and cried one night after you had done something inappropriate at Aunt Cassie's and I prayed earnestly to know how to help you during this difficult time.  I was so worried about you honey.

And yet, you were remarkably resilient!  You trusted Mommy and Daddy and were so willing to go along with our latest change of plans.  You tried hard to be good, but our tense environment was definitely taking a toll.

However, since you got used to going to school, when we finally bought a home and you weren't afraid we would have to move again and now that we've adjusted to being a family of five, you have been blowing our minds with the delightful little person you are turning into.  Here are just a couple of things we love about you right now.

You asked me to curl your hair the other day because you said, "My hair is just getting sooo long and sooo beautiful!" You looked so lovely and grown up when we finished.

You are a smarty pants with a thirst for knowledge that cannot be satiated.  At your SEOP last week your teacher showed us how your scores are beyond anything she has seen in a kindergartner before.  You're reading at a third grade reading level and excelling.  We have debated on the benefits and drawbacks about skipping you ahead a grade, but ultimately decided that you need to be with kids your own age and we are going to try and help you focus on other areas like math and science to try and improve in those areas too.

What made me even more pleased than your book smarts was hearing how nicely you play with the other kids.  Mrs. Hardin said you are kind to everyone and make friends with all of the other kids.  I tell you every day when I drop you off for school, "Remember who you are and BE KIND!"  I'm glad it seems to be sinking in.

You are also very tender about Aiden and every once in a while you start to tear up and ask about him or say how you wished he could have come to our family.  You will always include him in your prayers and thank Heavenly Father that we will get to be with him some day.  You have been processing his death and sometimes it comes out at the most unexpected times.  A few nights ago you were playing with Darcie, laughing your head off as you hauled her around like a baby.  Suddenly you sat down on the stairs and started to cry.  When I came and sat next to you to ask what was the matter, you told me you didn't want me to die.  I said I wasn't going to die and you said, "I'm so afraid you will die too Mom.  Aiden died."  I explained that everyone who comes to earth must eventually die and it wasn't something to be afraid of.  I told you how wonderful it will be when we pass to the other side and are reunited with Aiden and all of our family members.  I reminded you that Jesus had died for all of us and been resurrected so that we could be together forever.  But I also told you that I planned on being alive for a very long time.  We hugged and said how much we loved each other.  My heart hurt that you have to worry about such grown up things now, but I also loved the opportunity to teach you more about about our Heavenly Father's plan of happiness.

In January you performed in your very first musical!  You were in the Cedar City Children's Theater production of "The Jungle Book Mini Musical" and played the part of an adorable bumble bee.  Although it was a short process (2 weeks of practices Monday-Friday for 2 hours each night and 2 performances), you really struggled being away from us as you would get home for 1/2 an hour after school and head straight to rehearsal.  Most nights you would get home and cry about how much you missed us and how hungry you had been, even when I started sending you with a whole pack of food!  In the end, you loved the actual performances and said you would do it again next year.  For only a 2 week commitment, you guys did an awesome job and I think it is a great way for you to gain confidence and learn to not be afraid of performing.  We sing the songs around the house almost daily and always laugh about how you could hear you screaming, "BUZZ! BUZZ! BUZZ!" over everyone else during "The Bare Necessities."

Daphne's Jungle Book Cast

On the not-so-good side, you can be an awful tease to your little sister.  You provoke her to screaming, which makes Alan wake up, which turns me into a major grump!  Sometimes after school you get super emotional and I try to coax a snack into you as fast as I can to help you not collapse into whining.  With you the phrase "Hangry" (Hungry and Angry) is a real deal.  I get that you're tired, it's just so hard to see my big girl turn into a big baby in a millasecond!  We are also working on having you respond to adults when they talk to you and to look them in the eye.

This photo is deceiving.  You and Darcie squabble about 50% of the day and NEVER play dress ups!  I happened to be putting some things away in our costume closet and for once you two were interested in trying on some of the awesome hand-me-down dresses, but it lasted no more than 10 minutes tops.  You and Darcie are not at all what we would call "girly girls", which is something I actually really love about you sweet girls!

Some of your favorite things are...

Friend: Sophie Quintanilla
Cousins: Amira, Millie, Jade and Laynee
Food: Tatter Tots (Grandma introduced you to them a couple of months ago and now you beg for them all the time!)
Book: Currently we are reading "The Chronicles of Narnia" and you plead for me to read "just one more page!" every night.  You still adore the Piggie and Gerald books and have recently been obsessed with Richard Scarry's "What Do People Do All Day".
Game: Minion Trouble and PacMan on Daddy's phone
TV Show:  "The Wild Kratts" because you love to learn about animals - especially sea creatures and bugs.  You say you want to be a "Bug Scientist" or an "Octopus Scientist" whenever we ask what you want to be when you grow up.  The other day you started crying and said you wanted winter to end because you missed your bug friends so much! :)

You are such an amazing helper!  You are constantly grabbing me burp clothes or helping Darcie with something while I feed Alan.  You are so good at making Alan smile and giggle.  Here you were saying in a sing-song voice, "Where's your smiles Alan?  Oh THERE they are!"

You also love...
- Special time with mommy
- Wrestle time and Buckle Head stories with Daddy
- Silly time with Darcie
- Making Alan coo and laugh

Thank you for being such a big help to me darling.  The other day you could see how stressed I was and you disappeared for a few minutes.  When I called for you, you didn't answer and I was starting to get mad when you came out of my room with a shy look on your face.  At first I thought you had been up to some mischief, but then you showed me that you had not only made my bed, but you had made your own and Darcie's AND tidied up the entire living room without being asked.  I was SO proud of you in that moment and I couldn't believe how grown up, thoughtful and kind you had been.

You are one special kid Daphne Marie and and I am so grateful to have you as my daughter!

Love you forever and always,

Your Mama

* I am out of time tonight, but look forward to documenting Darcie and Alan tomorrow (wishful thinking...it will probably be several more days).