AHHHHH! It's finally here! Ivy turns 5 years old tomorrow! I cannot believe my baby girl is five years old!!!! This is such a huge milestone in my mind as all the toddler traits are gone and she is officially a little kid. Going to school and growing her independence and really taking on the world for the first time. Its SO bittersweet but it's hard not to feel excited because SHE is so excited. We've been counting down the days until her birthday for the last 6+ months. Let us hope it lives up to the hype!
Ivy at 5 Years
Weight: will update after well visit (33.5 lbs. at 4 years)
Height: will update after well visit (40.2 inches at 4 years)
Personality: Silly, giggly, sweetheart with a sensitive soul
Flashback to this post to see Ivy's update when she turned 4 1/2 years old.
And a year ago when she turned 4.
Double jump in time to this post to remember Kip at age 5.
Starting school
Independent showering
Gymnastics class
Progress in swim lessons
Writing her name, letters, and beginning to sound out words
Advancing in drawing skills
HUGE social leaps
Her FIRST friend birthday party (this coming weekend!)
Being able to listen to chapter books read aloud
First Father-Daughter Dance
First time winning Hero of the Week
Done with "poop prizes"
Sleep
Ah my little roommate. I still sleep in Ivy's room on her trundle bed. She will only occasionally come down to snuggle with me but I still feel like I sleep better when I'm close to her and can help tuck her in or give her water or comfort her when her nose is plugged. She's my baby and I am treasuring this time when she wants me close. Plus, I can stay up later and not bug Dan while I read on my phone. She goes to bed around 7:30 after shower, teeth, two books, and a song. Someone still has to stay in her room until she falls asleep, surrounded by 900 stuffed animals. She generally wakes up between 6 and 7 AM but rarely sleeps past 7.
I joke that Ivy is always starving for approximately two bites and then she is full. The girl eats like a bird and she is still our picky eater but at least she has more than a handful of foods she enjoys and is occasionally willing to try new things. She recently started eating cooked eggs which was a big step for her. Fruits remain her tried and true favorites and she always has to have her yogurt drink in the morning. She is also our sweet tooth kid and lives for any dessert - especially gummies and Rita's Italian Ice. Her favorite place to go out to eat is Chick-fil-a but she is typically happy with any chicken tender and fries at any other restaurant. She takes a packed lunch to school every day and is completely uninterested in trying anything on the school menu.
Play
Wouldn't you know my only daughter is not into Barbie's, baby dolls, or princesses? She is decidedly and exclusively interested in stuffed animals, unicorns, and teeny tiny plastic toys that serve very little purpose. She is a collector and takes into her care every tiny toy you can imagine, scrap of paper, and minuscule sequin. They are all treasures to her. She is still very into unicorns and rainbows and hearts. She really gets into whatever game Kip has imagined and will indulge his battle dynamics and talk about Godzilla and Scar King. She had a play date with a friend from school a couple of weeks ago and we were excited to see how she handled that. Of course they did very little playing as the other little girl was enthralled with all of Ivy's things and just wanted to pull it all out and look at it. Ivy just followed after her offering commentary about all the stuff she has. We also discovered recently that Ivy is very good at mind puzzle games like fitting shapes together and connecting pieces. These games are above her age level and require a lot of fine motor skills and advanced problem solving. Kip is teaching her chess and she is picking it up. Maybe 5 is a normal age for this? But I always see her as my itty bitty girl and I feel like she is always younger than she is.
Talk
Ivy had really come out of her shell in the past six months. In the fall she was very shy at school and hesitant to make many friends. She was still very quiet with people outside of our family as well, often shying away when addressed. Now she has loads of friends in her class, runs around with everyone, and will strike up a conversation with people she knows, no problem. She still has her shy moments but has made huge progress in socializing. The other thing about her is she is always watching and listening and paying attention. Careful with her! Do not share a secret in the presence of this girl because she will hear it and she will spill the tea!! Ivy comes home from school regularly blabbing stuff she heard her teachers discussing in private. She was just in the general proximity of the conversation and scooped it ALL!! Now, a lot of it is lost in translation because she of course doesn't necessarily comprehend what it is they are discussing but the meat is there...and I kind of love it. Just gotta work on her discretion.
Things I was to remember about Ivy at age 5:
Kip and Ivy's homemade book stand enterprise
Trying and enjoying eggs!
Her skill with puzzle games like Flow Free, Rush Hour, and Kanoodle
Watching Bluey
Blossoming academic skills
Her bravery going to school and being independent for the first time
Her gorgeous long dark eye lashes
The itty bitty freckles that dot across her nose and cheeks
Her carefree giggle
The endless treasure collecting
Singing when she is getting her hair dried (she really loves to sing)
Collections upon collections of "treasures"
What's Next?
This summer Ivy will be attending two summer camp classes for the first time. That is probably the biggest new thing ahead. She will be starting Kindergarten in the fall but after the fully enriching Pre-K year she has had, I am sure she will love kindy. 
We adore this sweet and spunky girl. She has a lot of expectations for this birthday and I really hope we can deliver the celebration she has her heart set on. Mostly, I hope she feels how loved she is and knows she is a cherished part of our family.
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