I love this...

...and she loves it too. This is the first thing Lily does every morning. She snuggles up on the couch with a stuffed animal and a blanket and watches us getting the day started. I know she can't wait to get ready with Emmi and I and go to Kindergarten, but I think she will miss this too.

Flower Fairy Party

Emmi really wanted to have a Pioneer Party for her Birthday Party this year but I wasn't really sure on how to get that theme across to a bunch of German four and five year olds. And it had to be pioneers not Indians. So after much discussion we settled on a flower fairy party instead.

But the day started with a circus party at Emmi's Kindergarten class which was a lot of fun. The birthday girl always gets to ride the wagon for the parade. Very cute! And Lily got to go too which she loved!

In the afternoon it was party time at the house. German Birthday Parties are kids only. So at 3 pm there were 6 little fairies and one pirate dropped off at our front door and we were on our own with an explosion of pink in our house. And I think they had fun and we did too...

5!!!

Five years old! And you are so proud! You woke up every morning for a week counting down the days the moment you'd open your eyes. And you are definitely a five year old. Smart, Funny and Happy. Sometimes you kind of act like you are fifteen already. For example when you tell us on how we don't love you and we are the meanest parents ever and you never get to do anything. Let's talk about this again when you really are fifteen... We enjoy that you are only five.

This past year has brought a lot of changes to your life and you have embraced them with ease and confidence. It's not easy to leave everything behind and start a new life in a new country and we know there are lots of things you miss because you told us (your friends, your american side of the family, the soft floor in our old house, cheeseburgers...) but you also seem to really enjoy your new life. Kindergarten has been a big hit. And even though you started in the middle of the Kindergarten year you found lots of new friends easily (This has been a lot easier for you then for us). Your new best friend is Katharina but you also play with lots of other kids. You love to have a crowd around you.

You also love to dance Ballet and you are good at it. You love to draw and do art projects. You play dress up daily and you and Lily play lots of role plays. Your doll Anna is still on your side a lot of the time. You love classical music and you love to read chapter books. Your favorite right now is "The children of noisy village" from Astrid Lindgren.

You love everything pink like most little girls but you also have your own sense of style and opinion on what you like or not. Your fashion sense is driving me insane. You refuse to wear pants or shorts. And you insist on tucking your shirt in. Always. As far as it will possibly go. And once you have a favorite dress or skirt you insist on wearing it all the time. Never mind that you have a closet full of different clothes.

You also think about a lot of things and everything interests you. For a while this year you considered becoming an astronaut but now you don't want to do this because you don't want to sit in the rocket ship for such a long time. Now you'd rather become a teacher like Mama or a Pediatrician. And a Mama of course.

We want you to to be happy and follow your dreams and we want you to stay our little girl just a little bit longer.

We love you Emmi! Mama and Papa